Ok, just to preface. I've never attempted to make dough before today, so I really had no idea what I was doing. Having said that, it wasn't a complete failure, but I am having some problems. wonder if anyone can help me out.
For those who don't know, a beaver tail is basically a big flat donut, thats kind of like a pizza. You can either top them like desserts or savoury like a pizza (cheese, tomato sauce, etc).
My problems are as follows:
1) The dough cooked unevenly. the crust turned out brilliant, but the middle was brown in some spots and still white in others. As a test, I made a smaller one that was circle-shaped and it did cook evenly, but beaver tails are supposed to be oval, not round.
examples of uneven cooking: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0042.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0041.jpg
example of evenly cooked one: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0048.jpg
2) Try as I might, I couldn't get it flat enough in the center. the crust was bready and delicious like i wanted, but the middle wasn't crispy enough.
3) Air bubbles like crazy.
example: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0043.jpg
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I have a few things i'm suspect of:
1) did I not knead the dough long enough? It was very elastic, but not totally smooth when I put it to rise. it did expand well though.
2) I just suck at shaping? I tried stretching it out and tossing it like a pizza, but I guess I just don't have the experience to get it right. Do I just need more practice?
3) Next time I'll try stabbing it with a fork repeatedly after shaping it, see if that takes care of the air bubbles.
finished first attempt: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0049.jpg
Thanks a lot for any advice. Appreciate it!
For those who don't know, a beaver tail is basically a big flat donut, thats kind of like a pizza. You can either top them like desserts or savoury like a pizza (cheese, tomato sauce, etc).
My problems are as follows:
1) The dough cooked unevenly. the crust turned out brilliant, but the middle was brown in some spots and still white in others. As a test, I made a smaller one that was circle-shaped and it did cook evenly, but beaver tails are supposed to be oval, not round.
examples of uneven cooking: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0042.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0041.jpg
example of evenly cooked one: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0048.jpg
2) Try as I might, I couldn't get it flat enough in the center. the crust was bready and delicious like i wanted, but the middle wasn't crispy enough.
3) Air bubbles like crazy.
example: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0043.jpg
---
I have a few things i'm suspect of:
1) did I not knead the dough long enough? It was very elastic, but not totally smooth when I put it to rise. it did expand well though.
2) I just suck at shaping? I tried stretching it out and tossing it like a pizza, but I guess I just don't have the experience to get it right. Do I just need more practice?
3) Next time I'll try stabbing it with a fork repeatedly after shaping it, see if that takes care of the air bubbles.
finished first attempt: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/theripper/Beaver%20Tails/IMG_0049.jpg
Thanks a lot for any advice. Appreciate it!
