Does anyone happen to know the science behind the stretching of strudel dough? I have used a recipe in the past that contains vinegar. Anyone know why some have vinegar and others don't?

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Thursday, August 22, 2002 - 11:13 pm: Edit

That's a great question!
I don't know.
I will look it up and try to find out.

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Friday, August 23, 2002 - 11:53 am: Edit

Pchef
Sorry I don't know you, where are you located? I have a friend in San Francisco at Nora's Partries(?), Nora's "somethings" anyway, who is quite good with strudel. Are you near there? If not, let me know and I'll get in touch with her.

Cherie

By Thebaker (Thebaker) on Friday, August 23, 2002 - 06:42 pm: Edit

In regards to the vinegar
I think it adds strength to the dough.
(the acid)
same reason that some cannoli doughs have marsala wine in them the acid helps the dough.

By Esjay (Esjay) on Thursday, August 29, 2002 - 10:30 am: Edit

I'll try and keep this simple, only because you are bakers & pastry cooks........ c'mon lads, I'm only joking..... or am I?

Wheat flour has two types of protien, glutenin and gliadin. When water is mixed with flour, these protiens form another complex protien called gluten.
Mixing & kneading the wet flour develops the gluten. The glutenin contributes tough, elastic properties and the gliadin contributes tacky, extensible properties. The general stages in gluten development are easy to see in a bread dough. At first the dough is a sticky, lumpy mass which tears easily when stretched. As the dough is kneaded it absorbs more of the water and becomes smooth, satiny and more elastic.
Even though gluten as such does not exist in flour, the gluten forming protiens glutenin and gliadin are often referred to as being the gluten content of flour.

The effects of acid, wheather it is vinegar or lemon juice, on gluten, is that it makes it more "elastic", or pliable, thus, allowing for the stretching of studel dough. To get more "stretch" from your dough,(it should be like French knickers) once you have kneeded the dough, place it under a large pot, which has been heated on the stove, and stretch it out , using your arms & hands, over a tablecloth.
Good Luck