Baking bread-should I get a Thermapen?

Question

I wanted to make multigrain bread from the Bouchon Bakery cookbook, but I wonder if I need to get a Thermapen first to measure the temperature of the water for the starter. This is my first time making bread and it sounds like the Thermapen is worth it (probably for meat too!). I live in a humid area so it probably would help to be precise, but the Thermapen is pricey and I am sure people bake bread without them

Answer

If the Thermapen is a little too spendy, check out the Thermapop by the same company. It's in the $30 range and just as accurate, but not quite as fast. That being said, I loooove my Thermapen.

Answer

I don't know the Bouchon Bakery cookbook and what temps they want you to hit. 

For proofing yeast, you can use a simple dial thermometer to temp the water. After a few times, you'll get the feel for the temperature with your fingers and won't need a thermometer.

Answer

Overkill. As others have pointed out you don't really need a thermometer, but if you want one, cheap is also fine:

https://www.amazon.com/Thermometer-Habor-Digital-Instant-Function/dp/B0198473E4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1524230458&sr=8-4&keywords=thermometer+cooking

Answer

Pampered Chef no longer sells the digital thermometer probe that I love. I would recommend buying something you can use with meat so you can cook a perfect roast beef. I did find the thermometer necessary for checking the temperature of water because I had a tendency to make it too hot.

Answer

You don't need one for starters or bread. I do like to take the temp once I think it's out of the oven but it's not necessary. 

Saying that, I love my Thermapen and use it for meats, simple cheese making, candy, etc. As noted, Thermapop is a good option.

Answer

the Javelin (made by Lavatools) gets good press - it's a tad 'slower' than the Thermapen (4 secs vs 2-3 secs....)

any accurate thermometer will work for measuring water temp in a bowl - there's no speed issue like with an open oven door. 

the Thermapen is famous for "speed" but has the additional benefit of a very small measuring tip "area" - checking things that are thin (like fish fillet....) is where it really shines.

Thermapen now has competition - the (same company) Thermopop plus other faster reading brands - years back there was only one choice.

Answer

Oh the termapen. I use it all the time to check doneness of my breads, cakes and loaves. It's also used to check meats and fish. We consider it a very worthwhile investment.

Answer

You don't need a thermometer to tell if water is tepid--yeast isn't that picky. Some bread preps specify a finished internal temperature, though.

For my no-knead bread prep, I pitch the yeast dry and then add my water. IME, unless your yeast is quite old, activating the culture as a separate step isn't necessary.

Answer

Ordered the thermapop! Thanks, everyone!! So glad there is a more affordable comparable option. Now I am wondering if I should get an oven thermometer and a linen. 

Also curious to hear from other people who bake bread. I am excited to try it for the first time and I am curious if it is something I will want to do long-term. I have started making my own chicken stock and can't see myself going back to a box so I wonder if I will feel the same about bread. I have made my own brioche and have been fairly happy with it. It seems like you really have to plan ahead although I guess I could start keeping homeade bread in the freezer. For a long time I had been buying Costco's country french bread which isn't the worst, but I don't really want it to be my default anymore.

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