Ngl, I thought the tangzhong method was just internet hype until I tried it on my sandwich bread last Thursday

I've been making the same white sandwich bread recipe for like 4 years and it was always fine but a little dry by day two. My sister kept telling me to try that flour and water roux thing and I was like nah that's extra work for nothing. Finally gave in after she brought over her bread and it was legit fluffy 3 days later. Tried it with 2 tablespoons of flour to 6 of water and cooked it to a paste before adding to my dough. Texture difference was huge. Anybody else have a baking trick they were stubborn about trying?

2 comments

2 Comments

sarahsullivan1mo ago

That "extra work for nothing" mindset is exactly what got me too, I wasted months being stubborn about it. The 2 to 1 water to flour ratio sounds perfect, I always eyeball mine but it turns into a thick paste that makes a real difference in softness. Another trick I was late to was letting my dough rest for 20 minutes before kneading, it cuts down on the workout and the bread comes out just as good.

the_henry1mo agoTop Commenter

Have you ever spent 20 minutes kneading dough that was basically a rock before realizing you forgot the autolyse? lol I learned that one the hard way too, now I set a timer on my phone and just walk away. The paste trick changed everything for me actually, I used to add water mid-knead like a maniac and end up with soup. Still figuring out the rest time thing though, I keep forgetting and then wondering why my arms hurt.