Main Dough for the Soft Dough

The main dough serves as as the mas for the different varieties of bread to be made It is divided into two parts - the soft dough and the lean dough.

Lean dough contains flour, sugar, water, yeast, salt and shortening while soft dough contains the same ingredients of the lean dough but has more water and sugar; and is mixed with other ingredients such as milk, eggs, flavorings and fillings.

To make the main dough for the soft dough, you need these materials and have to follow these procedures.

Ingredients and utensils:

• 2,000 grams bread flour
• 240 grams sugar
• 35 grams salt
• 200 grams shortening
• 30 grams instant yeast
• 1,000 grams water
• 3-speed electric mixer
• mixing bowl and dough hook
• piece of cacha cloth
• oven

Procedure

1. Mix water, flour, salt, sugar and instant yeast in electric mixer set at speed #1.
2. Switch mixer off when the mass becomes lumpy. Add shortening and mix for 2-4 minutes at speed #2.
3. Switch mixer off and test the dough. Get a small piece and stretch. If it does not tear when stretched or pricked by the fingers, the dough is ready for fermentation. If it tears easily when stretched, mix again until it is ready for fermentation.
4. Leave the dough to rise for 1-2 minutes. Put it on the mixing table sprinkled with a thin layer of flour, cover it with a piece of cacha cloth and allow it to rise.
5. Press the dough with your finger. If the dough springs back, it has risen and can now be cut. If when pressed the dough remains depressed, cover it again with cacha cloth and allow to rise for another 1-2 minutes.