When baking bread and it says to use warm water (they maybe even get tell you a temp.) Is it better to get just warm water from the tap or warm it on the stove? I wonder if I scalded the yeast last time or if it really wasn't warm enough. I don't have a thermometer to read it. How warm does it need to be?

Sincerely, pamurp@yahoo.com

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2000

Answers

The correct temperature is 115 degrees (Farenheit), much hotter and you will kill the yeast. If you warmed the water on the stove, it was probably too hot. A thermometer isn't expensive but if you don't want to buy one then it is best to err on the side of too cool. This will only slow the yeast's growth a bit. A suggestion: don't use tap water, use bottled spring water. Tap water is chlorinated for the express purpose of killing bacteria in the water and yeast is a bacteria.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2000

Patricia, The water for making bread should not be hot enough to burn your hand. Just lukewarm is fine and make sure any sugat in the recipe is put in with the yeast, which will start the yeast working!

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2000