TangZhong and 75% Hydration: Fact or Myth?

Today, we're going to clear up a question that we've been asked by a lot of people, do we need to add water to a tangzhong recipe or adjust the hydration to a higher percentage after we convert it from a recipe without tangzhong? A lot of people believe the hydration should be raised to 75%, is it a fact or is it a myth?
In this video, we're going to go through the science behind it and explain why it's not necessary. Watch the video for more!

References:
2. The Staling and Texture of Bread Made Using the Yudane Dough Method
Hiroaki Yamauchi et. al.

#tangzhong #yudane #bread

[blchen]

I have zero experience in baking bread, but as a physics PhD, I do appreciate and admire the approach you took towards the problem, not to mention the crystal-clear and logical presentation! Bravo! Happy New Year! 🎉

[michaelprozonic]

I first learned about tangzhong while assisting my 9yo grand daughter with her baking club that taught them to make baked goods from different countries. I have been working on perfecting my pizza dough for about 15 years now and have only recently started baking breads and rolls. A video from You-Tuber Chain Baker showed me the comparison between tangzhong and yudane which eventually led me to your channel. I love your scientific methods, explanations and research. I am now starting to work with yudane only because of the many possible sources for error when making tangzhong. I preheat my mixing bowl and measuring cup to minimize cooling the boiling water for the yudane. Thank you for your hard work

[asderven]

Thank you for the video. I haven’t seen it yet 🙈. You answered the question in the description. I read the comments, everyone is mentioning King Arthur article. I stopped reading articles written by people a long time ago. I usually only read academic articles on the subject, bread has many academic papers. Or I ask fellow bakers about the problems they had, their solutions, and I see if it is worth it.

When I started baking sourdough in 2018, I asked around how people made wholewheat bread. Most of the bakers put 20% wholewheat and used bread flour for the rest. I was like, just call it regular bread, stop calling them wholewheat, it is confusing. Only a few admitted that they baked with 100% wholewheat flour, and of those few, a very small percentage know what they are doing. Most people just follow things, without understanding the science, reasons and the logic behind things.

Thank you for making videos that clarify these topics, lots of people will learn from your videos.

[MrElosobear]

I am new to making dough and first search result is King Arthur. Tried the 75% and dough is so sticky and unworkable..I had to add tons of flour. Glad I found your channel.

[agentlx]

I wish I had seen this video sooner. I've been trying to bake with Tangzhong and I was going by the exact article by King Arthur and I was always dealing with a goopy mess from too much water in my dough! 😔

[azwarriorm]

I REALLY love your explanations . Thank you

[HannibalJV]

Thank for the information, I enjoy the videos and they're helping me level up by bread baking 😊

[kitwong]

I wish I had watched your 2 videos before I converted my Challah bread recipe with Tangzhong according to the King Arthur paper you were referring to. The added water made the dough look just like your video. I added more flour to form a dough. However, the 3 braids loaf looks like a giant Pepperidge farm gold fish. It was so difficult to work with. At least it came out soft and tasted good. I hate to waste food.

[BCOURT]

Thank you for doing all the research! I had 2 failed 1:5 attempts with my Massa Sovada recipe. Thinking I had done something incorrectly.

You have a wonderful teaching style! Thank You!

[CARLOSJUSTINIANO-hfqe]

ok! now I can see, thank you Sheraphine, brilliant!!!🙂

[donaldjenner]

Were I but twenty minutes younger (...), I'd undoubtedly fall in love. Clearly, that whole business thing which preceded your shift to bread making videos will be useful background when you kand your colleague?...) open a bakery & cooking school. Do it where I live and you'll have no competition. Whatever. You sound like a teacher (been there; done that), and a first rate researcher. I'm completely blown away.

[hj]

No gelatin retains any more water than amount needed to make it gel.
A Yudane is such a gel. Tang Zhong is a gel slurry.
You are right that in prep of Tang Zhong the other YouTube cooked off a lot of the water. That is the reason more water was needed for final dough and the hydration likely was actually 60% at most.(in that the Tang Zhong was only 1:3 (or less) after overcooking)

[summerbreeze]

Any ideas why your videos won't upload to my drive or save to utube?
Iam ne ding to listen several times to your great info and can't find favorite videos on your account page.
Help!

[chopsddy]

To me, that article seemed to show an experiment that had a specific, pre determined result in mind. It also seems written by someone with a lot of stored opinions and little experience. In other words, it was bs.

Once the principle functions and potentials of a mixture of flour and water are known, the possible applications and procedures are nearly infinite. The “right” way is the one that works in a certain environment under certain conditions at a certain point in time, that gives the desired results.

The principles for both methods are the same . I’ve been thinking in terms of a starting point. being gravy, ascending through levels of sauces and pudding to bread additive.
I don’t believe that one method is inferior or superior of the other. One’s choice is dependent upon one’s situation.

Seraphina, when your ready to write a book, rest assured I’ll buy it.( I hope I didn’t misspell your name)

[MalcolmSalmond]

Thanks for this. I'm so glad I found your channel. Btw, you are hilarious.

[sunflowerhk]

I made a yudane with 1 part flour and 2 parts water, the mix in the end was too dry and couldn't mix well with the flour.

[Melodycima]

When you say 1:2 ratio. Do you include counting the water mix with tanzhong + water used on the main flour? And does this also include the milk in computing the 1:2?

[jackscully]

I really appreciate the work you are doing bringing scientific literature on baking to youtube. I think your videos would benefit from a direct demonstration, especially with such harsh criticism of others. Don't worry about sample size, it's just a demonstration.

[robertzoufood]

I have been stressing out as I really wanted to convert a challah recipe with a fairly low hydration level to tangzhong/yudane (as I am giving it to my relatives abroad and don't want the bread drying out quick). It only had a 53% hydration level and it seemed absurd to convert it to 75% (as shown on this King Arthur Website) when I add tangzhong. I also saw another recipe on challah that does contain tangzhong in it with a hydration level of just over 60%. I didn't know what to do until I saw this video and the one on tangzhong and 1:5 ratio being wrong.

[EmadFayek]

your video is is good, very clear, evidence based and scientific... finally for a very unexperienced home baking person like me, your conclusion is very simple process for me to follow ...can't thank you enough. one question in the final step what is better (unless it does not matter) should I add the yudane (which will be cold) to the warm water and yeast step and then add the flour to make bread or should I first mix the flour water and yeast make a dough and then add to it the yudane ?