Don’t add all your moisture at once. The weather can change things a fair bit. Either flour or oil your hands.
Comment on Daily Discussion Thread: Monday, 17 February 2025
danwritesbooks@aussie.zone 3 months ago
I have a question for our bakers and chefs and general kitchen superstars - whenever I try to make something doughy - like pretzels or scones - the mix is always way too sticky. I follow the advice on the ingredients, but yeah, too sticky so I end up essentially eating half the mix off my fingertips.
Any suggestions on how to combat this? Is it simply needing to add more flour?
Catfish@aussie.zone 3 months ago
danwritesbooks@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Hadn’t considered oil…
Seagoon_@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Use lots of flour on the bench or board, rub flour into your rolling pin and rub flour onto your hands before handling dough.
danwritesbooks@aussie.zone 3 months ago
I have floured the board and hands previously, but my work area isn’t the best and I need a bigger board too (and one that doesn’t move). Thanks!
melbaboutown@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Be careful when adding more flour as you can accidentally use too much and throw off the ratio. I’m told that continuing to knead makes it go smooth elastic and less sticky but maybe a dough scraper would help get it off the surface until that point.
I’m not a hugely experienced baker but hopefully that helps somewhat
danwritesbooks@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Thanks. I’m going to try make a pizza from scratch next weekend to put in the smoker so trying to figure out ways to avoid the sticky problem. I’ll see if I can grab a dough scraper as well :)
Taleya@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Ooh let me pester His Lordship, he’s all anout the puzza dough and long chain proteins and kneading
melbaboutown@aussie.zone 3 months ago
To be clear you can add flour! Just a little at a time. I’ve definitely added too much before and the dough becomes stiff and dense.
Also I googled and you can make dough less sticky by resting in the fridge.
Taleya@aussie.zone 3 months ago
he says do a lower hydration dough (ratio water to flour). He does a 60% hydration, 3-5 day ferment, allows more gluten to form. Kenji has a “fool proof no knead pizza” recipe online that’s easy and a banger apparently. Seriouseats.com
danwritesbooks@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Thanks! I’ll take a look. Might save me a headache.
StudChud@aussie.zone 3 months ago
[deleted]melbaboutown@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Because I don’t know if I did it wrong - what about when you knead, rise, then knead again and roll it out? It turned out ok for my pizza dough but I have a feeling that wouldn’t work for bread
StudChud@aussie.zone 3 months ago
[deleted]melbaboutown@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Thanks. I’m not really making either these days but it was something I was a little unclear on after so long
danwritesbooks@aussie.zone 3 months ago
This is awesome. Thank you :)
CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone 3 months ago
When you’re mixing in the bowl, if your dough is coming away from the bowl easy then you’ve got enough flour in there. Before you chuck your hands in there flour them too.
Thornburywitch@aussie.zone 3 months ago
Flour to HANDS, not to the dough. I’m serious. What is happening is that the oils/moisture on your skin is sticking to the dough (whatever sort). So wash hands, dry well and then dust with flour back AND front- use at least 1 tablespoon and shake off excess to one side to use under the dough later. Then punch the dough, fold and whack it until it comes together. At least 3-5 times. Then knead or not depending on recipie. DON"T KNEAD MUFFINS, and scones only lightly. Chilling the dough once it’s come together does help.
Or you can embrace the sticky, and then when the dough comes together rub off the sticky bits into the dough (only if hands are clean). Dough behaves a bit like bluetack in that it can be rubbed into balls that attract other balls.
danwritesbooks@aussie.zone 3 months ago
I have tried flour to the hands, and it does seem to improve it a bit. But the rest of what you said I haven’t. I will give it a go. Thanks :)