Mixing both gluten production and milk

I would like to get tenderness from both the leavening and the milk, when and where I should add the milk ?

My recipe is based on sourdough starter, wheat flour and water, plus oil and salt.

I'm asking this because I know that the milks alters the actions and the production of the gluten, but the gluten is essential for leavening .

Best Answer

The only practical time to add milk is at the beginning of dough formation, when you can still stir the flour and liquid together. Trying to add milk (or any liquid) after the dough has formed is very difficult.

While it may very slightly retard gluten development, additional kneading or resting time will make up for this.

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Does milk stop gluten development?

It's the process of developing the protein in flour, gluten, into a web that traps air into it. Water is essential for this web, and as you mention 87% of milk is water. However, 3% of milk (whole milk, at least) is fat. This fat will coat the gluten molecules, preventing them from being shaped into a gluten web.

How does mixing affect gluten development?

The more the dough is mixed, the more gluten is developed. This causes the dough to become elastic and stretchy, as can be seen in bread dough. The gluten is formed during kneading of the bread dough. Kneading causes the gluten strands to get stronger and longer.

Does fermentation destroy gluten?

According to [2] the natural sourdough starter contains Lactobacillus, lactic acid bacteria that develop when flour and water are mixed together which then go through a fermentation process. Lactic acid along with acetic acid will destroy gluten, and make gluten easy to digest.

What two ingredients prevent gluten from forming?

Solid fats, oils, and egg yolks coat gluten proteins and prevent them from forming long, strong strands. Ever wondered why shortening is called shortening? Because it shortens gluten. Fat can also make flour water-resistant.

Science: What is Gluten? Here's How to See and Feel Gluten

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