Butter, milk, oil & eggs

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fancy4baking on 26 Nov 2012 at 11:02

I know guys that the topic of adding butter, milk, eggs & oil and how is that considered in terms of hydration has been discussed here before, but i seem failing in finding the place where this matter was discussed. 

So guys, any input how should i treat butter, milk, eggs & oil when it comes to hydration calculations?

Thanks in advance

Hi fancy4baking

whilst fat has a softening effect on dough, I do not think you can equate that with the effects of hydration.

So, butter has 15-20% water, eggs are 75% water and milk 87% water.   These have to be accounted for in balancing the formula.   Oil has no water.

Best wishes

Andy

Ahha...now we're getting some where.

Well, i guess i need to be sure by the time for Christmas baking, because the recipe for that bread call only for milk, butter and eggs.

Thanks Andy :)

So in general in BP% for recipe that calls for only milk instead of water, we need to consider dough's hydration based on the water content in milk which is as per you 87% and compensate that in more or less milk to reach the desired dough hydration? That same thing also applied on Eggs!!! Well i guess that that clears things, only experimenting can give decisive conclusion!

 

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ananda on 27 Nov 2012 at 05:22

Hi fancy4baking

Remember milk comes in different forms, and each has a different fat level.   I think you could assume the 87% figure I cited as being full-fat milk.   I suspect skimmed milk will be the equivalent of c.95% water, and semi skimmed in between.   Yet another reason why I use milk powder in formula; so much easier to balance with water, and adjust the powder to achieve the level of enrichment required.

The essence of my comment is that while fat, oil and sugar have a softening effect on dough, that does not mean they have a moisture content which needs compensation when adjusting the formula; they don't.

Best wishes

Andy