# Flour Tortillas are too dense and taste raw / chewy



## ashmer (May 11, 2016)

Hi everyone - please help me as soon as you can..

*Dough Issue: The final tortillas are too dense / heavy and look partial raw / oily. ( even though they are cooked). *

Here is the recipe I' m using - maybe you can identify a flaw.

*Makes 8*

*2 cups all purpose flour*

*½ teaspoon salt*

*¼ cup vegetable oil *

*½ cup warm water *

*½ teaspoon vinegar *

Add another 1/8 cup water

Process:

1. stir dry ingredients (flour & salt in bowl)

2. add oil, vinegar into dry ingredients ( mix)

3.add hot tap water working the liquid

4. knead the dough with hands for 4 minutes ( this might effect the temperament of the dough)

5. form into 8 dough balls and let the dough sit in wrapped plastic for 30 minutes ( I actually kept it in the fridge over night) - not sure if this effects the dough.

6. I then used a cast iron press and once pressed I hand roll it to make them very thin ( the dough seems to shrink ab it after it's rolled out).

7 ( cook for 30 seconds for each side). I can't cook longer because it will become too hard and crack.

(Note I 'm not using baking powder - this might be why it tastes really chewy / raw). But the problem is they are still too dense / heavy. I don't think it's the press problem because I roll them really thin and hen the dough shrinks and becomes heavy when cooked. I think it's the temperament of the dough hmm.



*Cooling and packing problem: *Once they are produced I put them on a metal cooling rack at room temperature. I let them sit for 30 - 45 minutes until they feel cool and then pack them and seal them in a bag and they go right into the fridge. Issue is the bag turns moist once I put them in the fridge. I don't want to hole punch the bag - because then air will go in and harden the product. If I let them sit at room temperature for too long it will harden and crack. Etc.



*Storing dough: *Can I prepare dough 2 days before and keep in the fridge? Or is the freezer better? Not sure how it effects the dough. hmmm


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

Most flour tortilla recipes I've used in the past (with no issues), have lard or shortening in them, in addition to, or instead of the oil. The fact that you're using oil as 100% of your fat could be the reason they are "oily". It seems obvious that that recipe is not working for you, so I'd suggest trying another one, to be honest. Not real sure why the vinegar is in there.....usually it's used as a dough tenderizer but I don't see much

reason for it in a flour tortilla. 

I don't see why storing your dough overnight in the fridge would have a negative affect on the dough at all, but maybe it does. Have you tried mixing the dough, letting it rest for 30-60 minutes, then cook your tortillas, to see if it makes a difference? It probably doesn't, but I'm not 100% sure on that. It could be if your refrigeration/climate is particularly humid, the dough might be picking up more moisture and making your tortillas raw/oily like you say.


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