# 50% hydration dough questions



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

This is a Chinese steamed dough. I've made it a few times and I'm trying to simplify it a tad.

Recipe is https://soupeduprecipes.com/lazy-dragon-rolls/

A video if you're so inclined, 




Being lazy, i wanted to make this dough in the food processor. It's faster, and it's on my counter, and not downstairs in the the "pantry" like my stand mixer. Being a lower hydration dough than is common for the food processor, it mixed up as very coarse sand and could be kneaded by hand from there. This works out but I'm trying to save the manual kneading effort. So the next time I drizzled extra water in until it came together and kneaded in the processor. That worked out too but may have been slightly wetter after steaming I guess I'd have to weigh finished batches to be more sure. I suspect the lower hydration is because this is steamed and not baked.

Anyway, I'm making this again today and i measured the extra water, 25 grams. So now it's a 56.25% hydration instead of the intended 50%. In your more experienced opinion, is this a significant deviation or within the realm of common variation.

I would normally just mix it, give it a knead to bring together and put it back in the food processor for kneading, but my particular model of Cuisinart has a wimpy lightweight motor that lacks the torque for heavier dough. I'm really rather disappointed in it generally. Maybe a better food processor could just get the dough to form in the first place.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Ready for steaming


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

This is probably a bit damper than bao usually are.













Big piece of chile there from the bean paste.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

I'll have to try making something like those 
A couple grams can mean a big change in oercentages in the relatively small amounts we use for home baking.
If it tastes good and is not too sticky, I would just go ahead.
I actually like kneading a little by hand. It's sort of Zen and it is nice to feel it come together.
Maybe you could let it rest longer and do some stretch and folds ?


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

So, I tried making something like this with sourdough and it works!
I used my standard pizza dough, but with a bit more flour to get somewhere to the 50% hydration.
Made a filling (Chinesy) with what I had, rolled them and steamed them. 
I definitely need to work on the rolling and shaping part!
Ate them dipped in a vinegar, soy, fish sauce dip.
They were surprisingly tasty and this gave me another option for bread without an oven.
Just one query: I used wax paper to prevent them from sticking, but that was a total failure. Anyone got any better idea (currently using a steel trivet in a wok as my bamboo steamer is somewhere in storage)


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I use parchment paper and that works. The Chinese often use cabbage or lettuce leaves. Any large foodsafe leaf should work. Banana, corn husk, lotus. maybe a little grease for release.

If you can get release type aluminum foil, that would work. In the US, Reynolds makes that. You might try well oiled foil.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Thanks, thought about leaves, but had none handy. Greasing the wax paper didnt help.
If alu foil: would you suggest piercing it for better steam penetration? Or would enough steam come via the sides?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Judging by where mine have rested against the solid steel outer edge, it should cook ok.


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## dueh (Mar 4, 2015)

I would eat it!!

The dough looks like it puffed up well when it was steamed. For a little extra oomph/insurance you could add in a bit of baking powder and soda, about 4% bakers %, to lighten it a bit.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

It seems pretty close to the source images.


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