"Stark" > wrote in message
...
> Is it just too wet? Some of my best pizza crusts have been slightly
> sticky, but other efforts have been too sticky to handle and at the
> same time warning me about the addition of too much flour.
>
> This ultra stickiness is to board and to hands, usually requiring a
> scraper to quasi- knead the dough. I'm guess that's not a proper
> kneading at all--more a brusing insult to the dough.
>
> I live in an ultra humid climate, usually, but last night and for the
> past few days it's been almost desert dry. The flour, either Gold
> Medal or King Arthur AP was a couple a months old.
>
> So when the dough is ultra-sticky do I just keep adding flour or handle
> it with a scraper and repeatedly oiled hands.

Baking bread at home is not an exact science. I don't measure the liquid
when I bake bread. I simply use enough to produce the quality of dough that
I want. Some dough is very sticky - like ciabatta. In that case, you do
have to use a bench scraper and oiled or floured hands to knead. For most
dough you only want a very slightly sticky texture. So, yes, if your dough
is too sticky you have added too much liquid and/or fat. Low gluten flour
does not absorbed as much liquid as high gluten flour. I think people make
too much out of the ambient humidity and the change in hydration of the four
due to storage conditions - but that's just my opinion.

It has been a long time since I made bread entirely by hand. But generally
you put the flour in a large bowl and stir in the liquid until it is a
sticky mass. Then the dough is turned out onto a well floured board and
worked. It will continue to pick up flour as needed until it form a ball
with a smooth, elastic consistency. At that point you don't want to
continue to add flour. I would also recommend that you error on the sticky
side when in doubt. The sticky dough will tend to be less sticky after it
rests and ferments.