Doughs

Dough is a mixture of flour and a liquid, typically water or milk, brought together to form a semi-solid mass that can be kneaded and shaped. It differs from batters in its stiffness and its ability to hold shape. Common doughs include bread dough, pastry dough, and pasta dough.

Yeast doughs rely on fermentation; gluten development from mixing and kneading gives structure, and leavening occurs as yeast ferments sugars to carbon dioxide.

Short or laminated doughs have higher fat content and less gluten development. Pastry doughs such as pie crusts or cookies are described as short due to crumbly texture, while laminated doughs (puff pastry, croissant) rely on fat layers and folding for flakiness.

Other doughs include choux pastry (not a true dough but a paste) and pasta dough made from flour and eggs or water; their purpose is cooking into different textures.

Techniques include controlling hydration, kneading and folding, resting, and proofing; salt can slow fermentation; sugar feeds yeast; temperature affects activity.

Safety and handling: raw doughs may contain pathogens; avoid consuming raw doughs with eggs or flour; bake to recommended temperatures; refrigerate or freeze unused dough to extend shelf life.