December 16, 2014 - 10:53pm
How to handle sticky doughs?
Hi,
Some recipes use very little flour compared to the water, so based on my small experience I know the dough will be very sticky. When this happens, am I supposed to add more flour while the bread machine is still kneading or should I do it after the dough is ready (90 mins later)?
Because if I have to add dough later when I am working with the dough, isn't it the same thing as adding this additional dough to the dough beforehand? If so, then why don't recipes do this and avoid guess work?
Lastly if I am not supposed to use extra flour while working with the dough then am I supposed to use oil? Because I know with oil the dough can't stick to my hands.
I just don't know what to do with sticky doughs.
Thanks a lot.
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Then why do you wish to change it to a non sticky dough? Some breads are meant to be high hydration. Changing the hydration may work but you'll be making a different bread. Sometimes a recipe doesn't call for a sticky dough but due to other variables it does turn out sticky so you'll need to adjust and think after the first few minutes of kneading you'll know and then add more flour if need be.
Thanks, I don't wish to change it but I thought to work with the dough I had to make it non-sticky? Basically how are you supposed to for example flatten the dough if it's too sticky that it sticks my hands and the rolling pin.
Should I use oil so it doesn't stick anywhere?
Might help. Depending on what you're making it might call for high hydration therefore it will be sticky but with enough kneading it'll come together.
Thanks just a naan bread shown here:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/naan/
As you can see the liquid content is a lot. I am not an expert though.
But there were other dough recipes I experienced this.
and I've never made naan bread. I do handle sticky doughs though.
There is no advice in the recipe but it does say shape by hand.
So you can either wet your hands, and bench, with cold water so it doesn't stick.
Or, lightly flour your bench and hands.
Oil I wouldn't do.
Ok thanks I will give it a try in the next batch.
That is a very enriched dough! I am not surprised it is sticky with the eggs.
Recipes are sometime more guidelines than formulas. Your flour,kitchen,other ingredients may me more or less "wet" or humid than the author who developed the recipe. Or the eggs are btigger or smallr. Even in your kitchen,seasonal weather or the attributes of a different bag of flour will affect the dough. That is why the baker needs to gain experience and knowledge about the dough they are making (repeatedly) in order to have a consistent outcome. So keep changing 1 thing and practice!
Handling sticky dough is,also,something that comes with practice. Itmay be that you have to add a bit more flour.I usually use damp (not wet) hands. You can add too much water handling dough with wet hands, just like you can add too much flour(if used instead).
Following is a very good recipe with a good explanation along with it. It is not necessary to use the seeds.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/naan-indian-oven-baked-flat-bread-recipe.html
Keep baking!
Watch this video: http://vimeo.com/34325967
In fact watch it several times (like I have)...,
Wild-Yeast
Thanks alot guys, useful info.
Also I forgot to mention something. When I said sticky, sometimes it's also very runny. Like not watery but has no shape that it holds. I will post the recipe numbers I used (metric converted) and you can see if something is wrong. It seems very runny and sticky.