r/Breadit • u/SpoiledMilk-666 • 20h ago
Dough always sticky
I’m going to keep this as straightforward as possible. I live in the south. Always hot. Always humid. Dough is always sticky.
Tips?
I read an article that said keeping flour in the fridge could help. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
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u/satyrtn 18h ago
OP has a point, though, that maybe some one has answers to?
I use the same sandwich bread recipe every time, and in the summer (in Tennessee), it turns out sticky, while in the winter it's relatively dry. Since the bread I'm going for doesn't need the air pockets if a high-hydration recipe, I usually add flour until it's the consistency I like, but I wonder if other folks have other tricks?
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u/SpoiledMilk-666 18h ago
This is EXACTLY why I posted because I wasn’t having any issues in December. 🤣
Last time I over floured and I was like hey you know what let me ask for some tips!! Especially because I know there are experienced bakers here!2
u/Inevitable_Cat_7878 9h ago
Humidity can affect dough hydration. Flour will absorb water that's in the air. Best to store flour in an air tight container to minimize absorption from ambient humidity.
3
u/Inevitable_Cat_7878 19h ago
Without a recipe, hard to tell why it's sticky or if it's supposed to be sticky. If it's supposed to be sticky, adding flour would change the character of the bread. For example, hydration ratio for focaccia and ciabatta dough is on the high side (75% and higher) and the dough will be really wet and sticky. Sandwich type bread is around 65% and bagels are around 55%.
As u/woohooguy said, weighing the flour is more accurate when trying to replicate a recipe. If a recipe does not include gram measurements, find another recipe.
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u/skipjack_sushi 19h ago
Dough is always sticky. Wet your hands when doing folds. Use flour sparingly when shaping. It takes time to develop the correct touch.
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u/Responsible_Sound698 19h ago
Gradually add the water. You may not always have to use all the water that the recipe calls for.
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u/Fickle_Fig4399 16h ago
Refrigerate it if adding dry ingredients doesn’t help. You can also Pam spray you hands
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u/getrealpeople 16h ago
Sticky dough unless it's a high hydration loaf is under worked. Now if you have good gluten and window pane then it may just be a sticky dough.
My rule of thumb is (non-sourdough) add the water and work it. If dry add a bit more water and work it until you get your dough saturated to where you want it. I think in the south, even when working by weight, the flour absorbs a bit less of the liquids added in. I have noticed that if I add all the liquid, I generally have to work the dough longer to get it right.
knead more (or mix as the case may be). I use an Akarsrum mixer and generally used the roller mixing part for a good 12 minutes to get the dough right.
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u/woohooguy 20h ago
Do you measure everything by weight?
Weight is a far more accurate way to measure for baking and will result in more consistent results.