If you are just new to baking pizza, you are probably having a hard time creating the pizza dough.
As a baker, making pizza dough is a work of passion. It needs skills and talent to achieve that desired dough for a pizza perfectly.
With that being said, failure to make the perfect pizza dough is plausible. Sometimes, pizza dough is too sticky which is an everyday problem bakers face.
At first, you might scratch your head from such a disaster. However, there are still ways you can address your concerns with too sticky dough.
That makes you even a luckier baker, though! Keep reading, and we’ll figure things out with your pizza dough making!
Too Sticky Pizza Dough – Why Is That So?
In all sorts of baking recipes, you need to be familiar with the ingredients. You have to be a master of them to be able to adjust with the appropriate measurements.
Pizza dough is only a combination of ingredients that includes sugar, flour, yeast, water, oil, and salt.
When all these ingredients are combined, and yet you notice that the dough is becoming too sticky, and then there has to be a problem with the mixture.
Sticky dough is good enough to make pizza. However, when it becomes too sticky, you have to know the many reasons behind it.
Here might be some of the reasons you need to dig into!
Too Much Water
Overdoing the dough mixture with water might cause its stickiness. Often, the dough will become too wet and tacky at the same time.
Putting too much water will cause the dough to absorb more liquid, and therefore, a disaster with the dough is expected.
To solve such a problem, you can opt to add more flour, but make sure to add it slowly to avoid creating another dough issue.
Under-mixing
This is another reason that might make your dough too sticky. It is expected that with too little mixing, pizza dough becomes gummy and excessively sticky.
Therefore, make sure to follow the right baking procedure. Always mix the dough well enough to avoid problems like this.
Using Cold Water
As much as possible, avoid using cold water when mixing the ingredients.
Expert bakers would advise you to use warm water instead. Coldwater will affect the yeast in the mixture. Hence, really sticky dough is expected as a result.
Yeast should be hydrated with warm water to prevent gluten from leaking out.
Fixing Sticky Dough – Steps Revealed
With problems like pizza dough being too sticky, I bet you know for sure that there are right solutions to fix such concern.
There is no doubt that excessively sticky pizza dough is still capable of being repaired.
Even though it just requires much attention and care, it is always possible to fix such a thing.
Here are the secrets of fixing sticky dough immediately.
Adding More Flour
When you think that the dough has absorbed too much water, you need to add flour into the mixture slowly.
It has been proven that when you add more flour, the stickiness will go away. Meanwhile, make sure that you add flour very slowly.
Further, make sure to mix everything one step at a time.
Next, knead the dough very well and repeat such a process until you notice that the dough is no longer too sticky.
If you have placed too much water in the mixture, then this is probably the best solution to the problem.
Knead the Dough Thoroughly
Another reason for the dough getting too sticky is when it has been mixed too little.
Therefore, to fix such a concern, return the dough in the mixing bowl and blend it all over again.
As you do the remixing, you will notice that the dough is ready when it is smooth and spongy but no longer sticky.
Add Warm Water to the Mixture
When making pizza dough, you should use warm water instead of cold. This is to ensure that the yeast is adequately hydrated.
When you have hydrated the yeast well, it will release the gluten, which is responsible for holding the entire set of ingredients together.
However, if you have used cold water instead, you have to redo the mixture and start all over again.
Common Pizza Dough-Making Concerns and Solutions
If you find the pizza dough too sticky, you have to start looking for solutions to fixing such issues.
There are common problems that bakers face when making this dough. With the different underlying causes, here are some quick solutions to fix the problem anyway!
Proper Kneading of the Dough
In making pizza, the dough must be kneaded well, and it should take long enough. It is one of the secrets to building enough gluten in the pizza dough.
It is normal for the flour and water to create a chemical reaction when mixed. As a result, gluten is being produced.
Meanwhile, when the dough has enough gluten, it will help create a stretchy and not too sticky texture.
Let the Dough Rest
After putting all the hard work in kneading the dough, make sure to let it sit and rest for some time.
Apart from getting a dough that’s too sticky, there might be tendencies for the crust to break when your dough isn’t rested well.
Further, it is always essential to develop gluten as it is the secret to achieving the best dough texture.
If you find that the dough resists when you try to stretch it, it is proof that it still needs to sit before baking.
Therefore, to achieve that perfect pizza dough, allow its gluten to develop more by letting it rest at room temperature.
In this case, about two hours of dough resting will do!
Stretch the Dough
To check whether the pizza dough texture is fine, make sure to stretch it evenly from time to time.
By stretching it in the middle towards the end, you will be able to check if the dough has gone too sticky.
Meanwhile, if you find that it’s well enough, then you are lucky not to do it all over again!
Dealing with Pizza Dough Perfectly
The best way to avoid pizza dough being too sticky is to do it correctly from the start!
Therefore, always follow the proper baking procedure and use warm water at all times. Further, only use about 60% of the water that is specified for in the pizza recipe.
To prevent stickiness, always coat your hand and surface where you are going to knead the dough.
Avoid folding and tearing the dough as it might affect its texture. Instead, stretch and squash it to achieve that perfect dough stickiness.
As a baker, how you knead the dough plays a vital role in not making it extensively sticky in the long run.
In the kneading process, make sure to prepare it well. Follow the entire baking procedure and always prepare the needed ingredients for the recipe.
Conclusion
Creating perfect pizza dough is not an easy task. It takes trial and error before you can achieve perfection.
I hope I have given you enough details and techniques as to not making pizza dough too sticky.
If you follow the tips mentioned above, getting a sticky dough is impossible. Hence, create the perfect pizza dough now!