30.7 Water hardness and pH

Ordinary city tap water is usually fine for dough. Most supplies carry chlorine to keep the water pure, and some add fluoride against tooth decay, but there is too little of either to affect a dough. Cities also treat their water to cut strong acidity, because acid water would eat away the pipes, so a baker on city water rarely has to worry about water that is too acidic.

Two kinds of water can cause trouble:

• Soft water can make dough sticky. Add some yeast food, or use less water in the dough.
• Alkaline water tightens dough and slows fermentation. The enzymes in a dough work best when it is slightly acidic.

If you suspect your water, send a sample to a laboratory for a full analysis.

What hard water does to boiling sugar is covered with heat. see chapter 7: Sugar