Ice Calculation

If your tap water is warmer than the water temperature you need for a batch of dough, you can cool the water with crushed ice. A simple formula can be used to calculate how much crushed ice to use.

This formula is based on the fact that it requires 144 BTUs of heat energy to melt 1 pound ice. A BTU (British thermal unit) is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound water 1°F. Therefore, it takes 144 BTUs to melt 1 pound ice, but only 1 more BTU to heat that pound of melted ice from 32° to 33°F.