Summer is among us and the temperatures are rising! Living in south Florida, I deal with very hot and humid weather (almost year around), so when summer hits, it becomes almost unbearable - for me and for my sourdough!
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Once the hot temperatures set in, I have to pivot how I prep my sourdough.
Here are the three things I focus on to ensure that my starter, and my dough don't ferment too quickly:
Using cold water (or ice!) when mixing my dough - this may seem obvious, but it's the easiest step to slow down fermentation. I recommend keeping some cold water in your refrigerator then adding it to your dough, along with some room temperature water as well (50:50 is a good place to start).
For really hot and humid days, you can even add some ice to your dough, but I have found that the cold water from the fridge is enough.
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Use smaller amounts of sourdough starter - if you've been following me for awhile now, you know that my Classic Sourdough Bread Recipe calls for 100g active sourdough starter, but during these dreadful summer months, I will drop it down to 75g, or even 50g! This reduces the risk of over fermentation.
I HIGHLY recommend doing this if you planning to bulk ferment over night during the summer.
Reduce hydration - more humidity means more moisture in the air. In order to combat this, we have to reduce the amount of water we use in our dough. When it's humid, your dough will absorb more water from the air around it. So, on top of the water you are already adding, you are now adding more water to your dough! This can often result in a wet, sticky mess.
Adding more hydration to your dough can also cause it to ferment faster, so try reducing the water by 25-50g.
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Understanding how much the temperature affects your sourdough (and your starter!) can be challenging, but these simple tricks should help you get through these warm summer months.
Further Reading:
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