Water

It is usually best to use room temperature tap water. However, the minerals in very hard water, or the lack of minerals in very soft water, may noticeably affect the taste and texture of bread. Very hard water will toughen the dough and slow down fermentation, and very soft water will soften the dough and make it sticky. If your water quality is suspect, use bottled water. You don’t want one too high in minerals, nor do you want distilled water, which has none at all.