Many beginner bakers are intimidated when working with dough. And indeed, dough can be a little tricky to deal with. However, it doesn’t have to be. Below, we list our top three tips for working with dough so that your baked good can come out of the oven perfectly!
Check the expiration date on your yeast
Many people think that yeast lasts forever. While it does have a long shelf-life, it does expire eventually. Dead yeast will ruin your dough, so it’s best to chuck it out once it’s passed its expiration date. Thankfully, you can extend the life of your yeast by storing it properly by keeping it in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Not sure if your yeast is dead or not? Mix a bit of yeast with ¼ cup of lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes and if it still bubbles up, your yeast is still good.
Avoid over-kneading by kneading your dough by hand
Overworked dough will feet wet and sticky, and it will ruin the overall quality of your baked good. Most people over-knead their dough because they left it in the mixer for too long. An easy way to avoid this is to simply knead your dough by hand. Why is that? Because you will get tired before you’re able to over-knead your dough.
Add the salt after the yeast and sugar
Salt is a necessary component to dough. It helps develop the gluten and provides essential flavor. However, timing is everything because salt can also kill yeast. So, only add your salt once you’ve mixed in your yeast and sugar. This will give your yeast enough time to activate before the salt is added.
Baking is always a rewarding activity, but some people don’t have the time nor energy. If you’d still like handmade pretzels but don’t want to bake them yourself, then turn to Uncle Henry’s Pretzel Bakery! We have plenty of handmade pretzels that will delight your tastebuds.
