Temperature controlled work surface?

I made croissants yesterday, but couldn't be bothered to keep returning the pastry to the fridge in order to keep it cool, so the butter became too soft.

While the end result was still pretty amazing, I couldn't include enough butter to get the right crumbly texture.

One alternative to returning the dough to the fridge would be to have a temperature-controlled work surface.

Does that exist, or will I have to make my own?

It ought to be fairly simple to slap some peltier elements onto a slab of aluminium or stainless steel, and a small PID controller. (It would probably be easier to work on stone, though, so one could glue a piece of decorative marble on top. There may be problems with thermal expansion, but you can get tiles made for underfloor heating, which ought to work.)

It would also be possible to reverse-bias the peltier elements to heat up the work surface slightly, e.g. in order to let the dough rise.

Has anyone made such a thing as a DIY project, or can they be bought ready-made?

pastry

Best Answer

You can search online kitchen suppliers for marble slabs used for this purpose. You can either take advantage of the thermal mass of the slab warming up more slowly, or if you have refrigerator space, you can even pre chill it before use.

I don't include links because they can become stale, but searching just now finds several. Search for "marble pastry board"

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How does a temperature control system work?

Automatic Temperature Control SystemThe controller compares the temperature signal to the desired temperature (setpoint) and actuates the final control device. The final control device alters the manipulated variable to change the quantity of heat being added or taken from the process.

What is a TCU thermal?

February 12, 2021. A temperature control unit or \u201cTCU\u201d is exactly what the name implies: a device that is used to regulate the temperature of an injection molding, blow molding, extrusion or other plastics process within a narrow range in order to ensure the quality and efficiency of that process.

What apparatus can be used to control temperature?

The simplest example of a temperature controller is a common thermostat found in homes. For instance, a hot water heater uses a thermostat to control the temperature of the water and maintain it at a certain commanded temperature. Temperature controllers are also used in ovens.

Which method is used to control temperature in a building?

In developed countries temperature is controlled with a thermostat to turn on a furnace or the air conditioning. This thermostat is then hooked to the HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) system to distribute warm or cool air throughout the building.

Thermolator® Temperature Control Units | Product Advancements

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