Elasticity vs. Extensibility in Bread Dough: What’s the Difference?

Understanding how and why your dough behaves the way it does is a key part of mastering bread baking.

Two fundamental properties of dough are elasticity and extensibility. They might sound almost the same, but they are actually quite different.

These two properties are affected by two naturally occurring proteins in the flour called glutenin and gliadin. When hydrated, they form the gluten network of your dough that traps gas bubbles from yeast or sourdough fermentation, giving your bread structure and volume.

Here is why striking a happy balance between the two can make or (quite literally) break your loaf.

 

What is Elasticity?

When you stretch your dough, its ability to spring back into shape is called its elasticity, much like a rubber band snapping back into shape after it has been stretched. This property is influenced by the amount of glutenin present.

Why do you want this?

An elastic dough will be able to trap the gases produced under fermentation by yeast or a starter, which gives your bread a good rise and a stronger crumb that won't crumble apart whilst being buttered.

Too much and your dough will be hard to shape, feel tight and shrink back when you don’t want it to.

Too little and your dough will spread out like a puddle and can lack crumb structure.

 

What is Extensibility?

The amount that you can stretch your dough without it breaking or tearing is called its extensibility.

This is due to a relaxed gluten network in the dough and is influenced by the amount of gliadin in the dough.

Why do you want this?

Extensible doughs are easier to shape as they don’t spring back to their original shape as easily.

Think of pizzas or ciabatta that you want to remain stretched. This is also beneficial for high-hydration doughs.

Too much and your dough will spread out and lose its shape.

Too little and your dough can tear or split when shaping.

 

Your ideal dough needs the right balance.

Depending on what type of bread you are making, it should have the right balance of elasticity and extensibility.

For example, panettone and brioche benefit from a more elastic dough as they need to hold an aerated crumb with a high fat content dough. Similarly, bagels and challah need to retain their shape for that tight crumb or shape after braiding.

Baguettes, focaccia and ciabatta benefit from a more extensible dough to achieve that light open crumb without tearing, pitta bread needs to puff up during baking, pizza and flatbread need to be stretched out without resistance.

 

Breads that work best with a dough that has an evenly balanced amount of elasticity and extensibility are sourdoughs, tin/sandwich loaves, the English bloomer and the French pain de Campagne (country loaf) and soft rolls, all of which need both in order to be shaped, rise and have the desired crumb.

 

How to tweak your dough to your desired Elasticity or extensibility:

There are a few simple ways to control or adjust your dough, so it works better for you.

To increase elasticity (more strength, structure and spring-back)

Vital Wheat Gluten - Adding this concentrated gluten increases the overall protein content of your dough.

High-Protein Flours - Adding flours like Manitoba will also increase your dough's protein content.

Shorter Fermentation Time - Allowing less time for fermentation means a tighter gluten network that equates to more elasticity.

Lower Hydration – Reducing the dough’s water content will result in a stronger, more elastic dough.

 

To increase extensibility (more stretch, flexibility and easier shaping)

Nutritional Yeast (deactivated yeast) - Adding this to your dough relaxes it due to the enzymes that very gently weaken gluten.

SAF Pizza Instant Yeast - This specialist pizza yeast can be used for any bakes and is specially formulated to promote extensibility and long fermentation times (key for making pizza).

Wholemeal Flours (rye, spelt, buckwheat etc..) - Adding these flours that contain less or weaker gluten naturally soften your dough.

Longer fermentation (autolyse) - Letting the dough rest for longer (especially before introducing the salt) allows the gluten to stretch naturally.

Higher Hydration - Upping the dough's water content will result in a more relaxed dough that stretches more easily.

   

Experiment and have fun!

Bread baking is full of tiny experiments, seeing what happens when you up the hydration or sneak in some rye or letting your dough proof just that bit longer.

Think of extensibility and elasticity as the dials you get to turn for adjusting your dough.

Have a go yourself and make one change at a time, that way your dough will tell you everything you need to know.