Results of ingredient changes

I decided to make bread for someone with an egg sensitivity. I made the mistake of thinking I could just remove the egg and replace it with an equivalent amount of water. That was the only change I made.

The dough turned out sticky-wet and I can't figure out why removing the egg would do that. I can see it changing the consistency, the rise, whatever, but why does it affect the stickiness of the dough? In the past I've substituted milk for water, used sugar, and taken out the salt with no visible handling difference in the dough.

Any ideas?

Just remove the egg and don't replace it with anything. It's probably something about the egg isn't actually absorbed into the flour but just helps everything stick together where as the water is. It could also be that your flour was damper than normal this time so didn't need as much liquid to begin with.  Bread without egg will rise a bit better and be slightly less dense than bread with egg, it will also rise faster.

I personally never use a bread recipe so if it seems to wet I just add a bit more flour and visa versa.

Thanks. I always use the same proportions (not necessarily a recipe--just 50% hydration + salt and yeast. So it could be 3 c flour and 1.5 c liquid, or 6 c flour and 3 c liquid) and so far it's always worked. I opened up the bread maker this time and wet dough was smeared all over the inside of the pan. Weird.

hey lauren

When i make bread or pizza dough i do it by weight.

1 cup of flour weighs about 120g

1 cup of water is around 240g

From what you are saying

3 cups of flour would be 360g

1.5 cups of water would be 360g.

Are you surprised its wet with that amount of water?

The most i use is 80%, sometime creaping up to 85% the weight of the flour.


Maybe try using 80% of the flour weight? It will still be a wet dough.



Do you let the flour mixture sit for several hours to incorporate. Usually with wet doughs i start with a wet hand and tend to touch the dough as little as possible. Some times i put a bit of oil on my hands. I also use a bread spatula to move the dough with.

From my experience. the dough will become sticky during mixing. after the dough has been mixed long enough the dough usually doesn't really stick to my hands. I usually mix the flour/water until it stops sticking to my hand.

Eh. This is a system I've been doing for years. 50% hydration works perfectly for me.

The bread came out OK--a little flat and lumpy, but OK. I think I need to work on this one before its ready to be given away, though.