Panettone and Dough Proofer:
For complex sourdough breads, it is highly beneficial to maintain a proofing environment consistently above room temperature. While commercial products are available, they are often too expensive and bulky for home storage. This is particularly true for Panettone, which is notoriously difficult to proof due to the addition of egg yolks and butter. These ingredients make the dough significantly heavier and require highly active sourdough cultures.
To address this challenge, I designed a custom proofing chamber using an Arduino, a temperature sensor, and a heating pad. The build features a 5V relay housed in a blue enclosure that interfaces a standard 120V plug with the Arduino's digital output. A temperature sensor was also integrated so that the system can monitor the internal climate; if the temperature falls below the desired range, the Arduino activates the heating pad, and once the target is met, the pad is turned off. By placing this setup inside an oven, I created a high-volume environment with precise temperature regulation.
CROISSANT ROLLER:
The Croissant Roller was an individual project in an effort to make the perfect croissant. The goal was to make a 3D printed roller powered by a drill that would easily adjust and roll croissant dough. Automatically rolling the dough is essential because the more you touch croissant dough with your fingers, the more the butter melts and the layers homogenize, which has significant effects on the individual layers you strive for in croissants. The project included a lot of 3D printing and design-optimization for strength and aesthetics. It also combined some metal-lathed parts and wood components. Another feature of the design, which was done in Fusion360, is that the roller is very compact and can be stored in separate pieces for any home kitchen. It works well for its given purpose, but could be used to roll other doughs or clay.
