Tools
Convert °C to °F (and °F to °C) for pizza
An oven set in Fahrenheit, a recipe written in Celsius: sometimes you have to switch scales. This converter works both ways, and the table brings together the temperatures that really matter for a Neapolitan pizza, from the fridge to the oven.
The formula
The two scales have neither the same zero nor the same step: 0 °C is 32 °F, and 100 °C is 212 °F. So 100 degrees Celsius span 180 degrees Fahrenheit, which gives the formula:
°F = °C × 1.8 + 32 and °C = (°F − 32) ÷ 1.8
The converter keeps one decimal. In the reference table I round to the nearest degree, as in the conversion tables I use in the kitchen: 24 °C gives 75.2 °F, which I round to 75 °F.
Pizza temperatures
| Reference point | °C | °F |
|---|---|---|
| Fermentation and maturation almost stopped | 4 and below | 39 and below |
| Ideal fridge for cold rests | 6–8 | 43–46 |
| Fridge in my protocols | 5–8 | 41–46 |
| Direct dough ball before stretching, above | 17–18 | 63–64 |
| Rests at room temperature | 20–24 | 68–75 |
| Dough at the end of kneading | 23–25 | 73–77 |
| Biga at the end of mixing | 25–26 | 77–79 |
| Never exceed while kneading | 28 | 82 |
| Water to reactivate active dry yeast | 30–43 | 86–109 |
| Baking a biga dough, about | 400 | 752 |
| Contemporary bake | 420–450 | 788–842 |
| Traditional bake | 430–480 | 806–896 |
The same table appears under the converter. Every line is there for a reason: temperature drives the dough, it sets the speed of fermentation and so the whole timetable of a protocol. This is explained in detail in temperature drives the dough.
The three temperatures I always measure
- The dough at the end of kneading, between 23 and 25 °C (73–77 °F). You control it with the water temperature: the water temperature calculator does the maths.
- The fridge, ideally 6 to 8 °C (43–46 °F). Do not trust the dial: measure.
- The dough ball before stretching, above 17–18 °C (63–64 °F) for a direct dough.
The oven, in Fahrenheit
Converted to Fahrenheit, baking temperatures look impressive: a traditional Neapolitan bakes at 806 to 896 °F, a contemporary one at 788 to 842 °F, a biga dough at around 752 °F. In a home oven, the chamber temperature is often impossible to measure, which is why baking time matters so much. All of this is covered in baking Neapolitan pizza.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert Celsius to Fahrenheit?
Multiply by 1.8, then add 32. For example, 24 °C × 1.8 + 32 = 75.2 °F. To go back to Celsius, subtract 32, then divide by 1.8.
What is 450 °C in Fahrenheit?
842 °F. That is the heart of the baking range for a Neapolitan pizza: 430 to 480 °C for a traditional one, or 806 to 896 °F.
What Fahrenheit temperature should my fridge be?
The ideal for cold rests is 6 to 8 °C, or 43 to 46 °F. At 4 °C (39 °F) and below, fermentation almost stops.