October 31, 2021 - 2:57pm
HELP! Struggling with keeping bagels cold
Hello baking friends!
I have gotten more good advice from the Fresh Loaf, than nearly anywhere else, including talking to professional bakers- so I thought I would try this one-
i make bagels in my business. I work out of a commissary kitchen & use a shared walk in.
I have been STRUGGLING to keep my bagels cold enough for their 24-30 hour retarded rise, on trays on a speed rack.
There isn’t a ton of traffic in and out, but some.
I have a clear shower curtain wrapped around it now, which has helped some, but not enough.
Mostly they are ok, but I always feel like they are on the verge of too warm and over proofed, which has happened several times.
ANY AND ALL SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!
i
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The walk in seemed too warm to me. Inspected where the thermostat sensors are in the walk in. Discovered they were not installed properly and copper wire still coiled up hanging in front of the fan. They were then untied and placed according to instalation instructions. What a relief!
Can you measure the temp in the walkin?
One way to reduce fermentaion is to reduce the amount of yeast in the dough, another way is to chill or use crushed Ice in the dough liquids. Where are you located?
Since you cried help, and you need to get that walkin cold fast.... a cheat would be to locate the bulb end of the thermostat inside the walk in and see if you can slap a warm wash cloth onto it or submerse it into a mug of lukewarm water. That will trick the refrigerator into pumping out cold air to drop the temp.
If you are in my neighborhood, you could simply roll the whole rack outside. We have 3°C here in Linz.
Hi Mini,
I don't believe it is the walk in temp itself, meaning, I don't think it is a servicing problem. We have a thermometer on the outside of it and I check it all the time. I monitor closely while I am there and it seems to be working fine.
The trouble is the shared element. With the amount of in and out, combined with where my speed rack lives (directly in line to a blast of warm air every time someone opens the door) no matter how well the walk in is working, my rack and therefore my bagels are subject to far too much change in temp. Most ruinously that the middle of the rack in particular, my bagels are ruined! I had to throw probably 25 bagels or more away this weekend, as they were so overproofed/too warm.
I am searching and searching for a cover, etc. anything! that would insulate IN the cold- I am now using a combination of bagels I freeze hard for 24 hours- and then put in walk in for 24 hours to slowly thaw and bagels made and put directly in- I am hoping by alternating sheets of frozen and regular on my rack, it will help chill them all- so far that has not worked.
I have tried wrapping the rack in bubble wrap, horrible failure made worse, I have a clear shower curtain rigged around it now, which helps, but is not enough.
Thinking of trying dry ice on the floor below rack as a desperate measure!
but can't find a solution. The constant traffic in and out of the walk-in keeps the temperature in your speed rack up, regardless of the "measured" temperature in the unit. I have less than a limited amount of experience with walk-ins, but quite a lot in commercial cold storage back in my working years (retired now).
In commercial cold storage we always kept, as much as possible, goods sensitive to temperature fluctuation the farthest from any doorways and cold inlets. I don't suppose you have any options to rearrange your walk-in, or you would already have done so.
In commercial drive-in cold storage of my experience every traffic door had a hanging plastic strip-sheet door cover; even the man-doors. Even with the door open, the strip-sheet hanging stayed closed, and we walked through it creating a small, short-term opening that re-closed itself as soon as we were through. If you don't have one, you might give one a try. It should greatly reduce the amount of air change going on at the doorway, which is the root of your problem. Narrower strips on the door are better, that is, easier to get through.
One thought on your cover plan: while the cover will insulate the cold in, you must get it cold first, before you put on the cover, else the cover will be working against you as well.
These are just some thoughts to, perhaps, be of help. I'm no expert, so take with a grain of salt and best of luck.
OldWoodenSpoon
Mini makes a great point. You see a thermo reading, but you may not know where the sensor is. If the sensor is farthest away from the door, then the coldest part of the fridge is correct but the rest of the room may be off. Otherwise the cooling would be rinning constantly.
My apartment fridge is like that. Cold on the bottom, warmer at the top.
Shower curtain reduces some impact of drafts but wouldn't reflect energy. Warm air still bathes the curtain regularly.
Aluminum foil, especially if adhered to some sheets of foam insulation (like the pink stuff for homes) might make a safe covering for your rack. I built a proofing bix out if that stuff and duct tape.
I also have a little fabric cold bag with a foil interior to keep th7ngs hot / cold. Food delivery bags are similar.
Last weekend, I used hard sided ice packs- on sheet pans- alternating with my bagels and it did help a lot
Not perfectly- but if left no more than 18-20 minutes away hours- they stay a bit colder- not tons- but enough to keep them from overproofing and turning slack and flat.
ALSO possibly more important than a big vs a poolish (I use a poolish & instant yeast) is kneading! I realized that my kneading in the mixer time had gotten shorter, not sure why, but when I increased to 12 full minutes in my 20 quart mixer with dough hook, they are perfect. I had reduced to just 2 minutes less and it was NOT elastic enough