Bread making thoughts...

[misspollysdolly]

I have just made some bread dough using this recipe as I am wanting to make my own bread more regularly. I thought this recipe seemed straight forward enough, but it produced an incredibly wet dough - most of which stuck to my hands and I ended up using at least another ounce of flour to bring it under control... Those of you who make bread, did I do something wrong?! Is the recipe suggesting too much 'wet stuff' or too little flour? Or is it very normal to start off with a pretty wet dough that comes together whilst being kneaded? I find the stickiness of bread dough a bit stressful if I'm honest......I am not remotely stressy about 'messy stuff' but do get quite panicky around bread dough which sticks to everything - am I just a -bit weird-- alone in this or does anyone else get stressed with bread?! MPD

I've found that if dough is too dry, that's worse than if it's too wet. Most recipes are a bit hit and miss on the ratio of flour:water I find. You did the right thing calming it down with a little flour so that you could work it.

When I make dough in my food processor I start the dough blade going with just the dry ingredients, put the water in a jug and then pour it slowly through the funnel at the top. When the dough reaches the stage that it stops looking crumbly and suddenly all clumps together and flaps around the middle spindle then I stop the machine. If it doesn't get to that stage, even with all the water, I add a bit more until it does.

I think it gets easier with experience! Good luck

Thanks Chil - have done a little bit of research and discovered that comparing this recipe to Dan Lepard's basic recipe the one I have used to today has 100mls more liquid and nearly 100g less flour so that might explain something...! Anyhoo, it is now behaving itself and next time I might try a different basic recipe. Thanks for the tips! MPD

My ratio would be 1lb flour and about 280ml water as a start point.... adding a little more water if it doesn't get to the clumpy stage in the processor, leaving a bit out if it does...

My ration is 500g flour to half a pint of water for one medium sized loaf. As chill says, you really don't want it too dry or firm, but agree that when it sticks to everything it's just a pain. It also depends on your flour as to how much liquid it will absorb.

I agree with the above posters, I use 500g flour and about 300-350ml water depending on consistency. also I find adding about a tablespoon of oil or butter makes the dough more silky and easier to handle.

Good tip mousy might use that one myself.

I use 700gms flour to 450mls water. If I use mainly Wholemeal Flour, it is not too sticky, but if I use mainly White Flour, it is much wetter (particularly if using some Rye as well). Adding a handful of Bran does help, but I have heard that adding more flour should be avoided. I find that the method of kneading works very well with wet dough. It is very sticky to start with, but gets better.

I tried the michel roux jr. Bread recipe the other day with milk and golden syrup, it was gorgeous and very moist. It kept well too.

I make bread in a breadmaker usually but occasisonally by hand.

I watched a bloke on Masterchef making bread and he said not to worry if bread dough appeared sticky at first and NOT to be tempted to add flour but just keeping kneading it and it would eventually become less sticky and he used the Bertinet folding method. I found he is right. I also add olive oil as mouseymouse says.

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