Use flour vs oil in rising dough
My mother would dust her rising dough with flour and cover it with a dish cloth, today everyone uses oil. Which works better? What's the difference?
Best Answer
In both cases, the goal is to keep the dough flexible so it can expand as it proofs.
With flour dusting, the proofing dough is usually stored under a damp towel, so that the moisture keeps it from crusting over. The flour is really to keep it from sticking to one's hands or the counter, and therefore easy to handle. Proofing periods also tended to be shorter--a few hours at most--so even a dry towel would often be good enough.
Oiling the poofing dough makes a moisture proof barrier, so it cannot dry out and therefore crust over. With the rise in popularity of high hydration breads (lots of liquid in the dough), the soft dough is hard to coat with flour as it tends to get absorbed; oil is easier to apply. It also is suitable for longer proofs like overnight fermentation that are more and more popular. If course, it does introduce a very small amount of oil into the loaves, as well.
I would hesitate to say one method is strictly better than the other, but rather that each are effective in their context. If I was forced to choose, I think the oil method is more flexible to more types of loaves, but may be somewhat messier.
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Quick Answer about "Use flour vs oil in rising dough"
Oiling the poofing dough makes a moisture proof barrier, so it cannot dry out and therefore crust over. With the rise in popularity of high hydration breads (lots of liquid in the dough), the soft dough is hard to coat with flour as it tends to get absorbed; oil is easier to apply.Does oil affect the rising of dough?
Not using an oiled bowl: You need to let doughs rise in a bowl that's lightly coated with a neutral oil, such as corn or canola. This prevents the dough from sticking and tearing when it's removed, which can ruin its gluten structure.What does adding oil to dough do?
When an oil component is added to your bread dough, not only will it improve the crumb structure, but it will also make a softer and moist loaf. This is because the oil in the dough prevents water from evaporating during baking. As the water is retained, it keeps the baked bread moist and tenderized.Can you use oil instead of flour?
You can use flour, oil or water; you'll use so little that it doesn't really matter much. Just spread a thin film on your surface, shape the boule and put it into the rising bowl. For the final rise, you want it to keep its shape when it's put into the oven.🔵 How To Make Self Raising Vs. Self Rising Flour - What Is It?
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Answer 2
I've experimented with both methods for pizza and bagel dough. They both work fine, but (in my personal experience only) I find using oil works better if the dough is allowed to stand for more than a day. If used within the day there is no difference.
I also happen to like the added flavor of olive oil (which I use exclusively for doughs) so I favor that.
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