When it comes to tortillas, you want them to be soft and stretchy, rather than ones that are hard, undercooked, or break apart easily.
Not only is it about flavor, but tortillas that are soft and stretchy are easier to use for making different dishes, such as burritos or tacos where you want a tortilla that won’t break once you add fillings.
How to Make Tortillas Soft and Stretchy?
To make the tortillas soft and stretchy, it comes down to two components. Both the tortilla dough mixture and the cooking process. If you are making the dough you notice that it is too crumbly, that is a sign that there is too much flour. This will result in tortillas of similar quality. The cooking process has an effect on consistency as well. Steamed tortillas are the most stretchy tortillas.
What Goes into Tortilla Dough to Promote Soft and Stretchy Tortillas?
When it comes to making the dough for tortillas that are soft and stretchy, use wheat flour.
This is a stronger flour and can hold up more. This allows it to have higher elasticity features.
This is because of the high protein content. When using wheat flour, you will need to knead the dough more thoroughly.
Through the kneading process, you increase the elasticity of the dough.
The kneading process is also essential.
Although you make your dough is properly kneaded, making tortillas is a situation where you want to knead for longer.
The longer you knead, the more gluten is released. This is essential.
Although do not knead it for too long, otherwise you will begin to see cracks forming in your dough.
If you see this, it may be possible to salvage it by adding a little more flour and water and beginning the process again.
When it comes to adding water to your tortilla dough, you want to use warm water.
Warm water will make your dough more pliable than it would be if you used cold water instead.
You should also let your tortilla dough rest for an hour or two. However, you do not want your dough to dry out. Place it in a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth.
How to Roll Out Your Tortillas to Make Them Soft and Stretchy
When you go to roll out your tortillas, one of the key steps is patience. Whether you are using a tortilla maker, or if you are using a rolling pin, you want to make sure to go slow.
You also need to make sure that the tortillas are even.
If there are any areas of your tortillas that are thicker or thinner, your tortilla will lose much of its elasticity and break once you add fillings.
I find that if you roll the tortillas to be thinner you tend to see a more stretchy result.
If you see cracks in your tortilla flour when you are rolling it out, this is a sign that you did not add enough water.
You can add small amounts of warm water, knead it into your dough and roll it out again.
The Best Cooking Processes for Soft and Stretchy Tortillas
When it comes to making soft and stretchy tortillas, the cooking process matters.
There are many ways that you can cook tortillas, but there are a couple that will produce the desired results.
The best method to cook tortillas is to steam them.
Steaming is a traditional method of cooking. However, it is a method where you need to carefully watch your tortillas.
You need to use very hot boiling water.
You also need to ensure that your tortillas are not left in the steamer for long. If you leave them in there too long, you will end up with soggy tortillas, rather than properly cooked ones.
Another method is to cook them in a skillet. I like to use butter or oil to grease the pan.
You don’t want the pan to be too hot, otherwise, you will end up with crunchy tortillas.
A great thing about this method of cooking is that your tortillas will puff up and become chewy.
You want to cook them over medium heat and only for about thirty seconds on each side, depending on how thick the dough you make.
Reheating Tortillas to Make Them Soft and Stretchy
Whether you are reheating tortillas that you cooked, or if you are using store-bought tortillas, there are a couple of methods that you can use to heat them to prevent them from cracking.
One method is to place them on a microwave-safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel.
Put them in the microwave on a medium setting for about two minutes.
Once you take them out, they should be ready for filling.
Another method is to put them back on the stove. Over medium heat, add butter or oil.
Add your tortillas, only allowing them to sit for a few seconds on each side. Any longer and they will burn.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Make Tortillas Soft and Stretchy
Can I make corn tortillas stretchy?
Corn tortillas are more difficult to make soft and stretchy. This is because of the lack of gluten in the dough. However, it is not impossible. I find that if you wrap a stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and place them in a microwave-safe bag to heat, this can help. Leave the bag open so that the steam has a way to vent. Put the tortillas in for about two minutes.
Can I save my tortilla dough if it is cracking?
You can save your cracking dough by adding more water to it. You can also save dough that is too sticky by adding more wheat flour. I find that making tortillas for the first time is a process of trial and error to get the right result.
Conclusion About How to Make Tortillas Soft and Stretchy
To make your tortillas soft and stretchy there are a few important steps that you should take.
You want to make sure that you are using strong flour that can yield a high amount of gluten.
You also need to be sure to only use warm water when mixing it.
The cooking process also determines how soft and stretchy your tortillas will be.