stretching, but when the stretching is stopped, the molecules spring back to their compact coiled form The visible result of these submicroscopic events: the stretched dough creeps back toward its original shape Gluten formation When flour is mixed with water and made into a dough, glutenin protein molecules link up end-to-end to form long, composite gluten molecules Dough is elastic because the gluten molecules are coiled and have many kinks in them When a mass of dough is stretched, the kinks are straightened out, the coils extended, and the proteins get longer(bottom) When the stretching tension is released, many of the kinks and coils reform, the protein mass shortens, and the dough shrinks back toward its original shape Gluten Relaxation Another important characteristic of wheat flour doughs is that their elasticity relaxes with time An elastic dough that never relaxed could never be formed into the many shapes of raised doughs and pastas! In a well developed dough, the protein molecules have been organized and aligned, and have formed many weak bonds with each other Because there are so many of them, these bonds hold the proteins firmly in place and resist stretching, so a ball of dough is firm and taut But because the bonds are weak, the physical tension of the taut ball shape slowly breaks some of them, and the dough structure gradually relaxes into a flatter, more malleable mass Controlling Gluten Strength Not all baked goods benefit from a strong, elastic gluten It’s desirable in yeasted breads, bagels, and in puff pastry; but it gives an undesirable toughness to other forms of pastry, to raised ... them, these bonds hold the proteins firmly in place and resist stretching, so a ball of dough is firm and taut But because the bonds are weak, the physical tension of the taut ball shape slowly breaks some of them,... formed into the many shapes of raised doughs and pastas! In a well developed dough, the protein molecules have been organized and aligned, and have formed many weak bonds with each other Because there are so many of them, these bonds hold the proteins firmly in... Relaxation Another important characteristic of wheat flour doughs is that their elasticity relaxes with time An elastic dough that never relaxed could never be formed into the many shapes of raised doughs