Module 3: The Two Doughs – GF First, HW Second

Learning objectives. After this module you will be able to: (a) make Jackie’s gluten-free dumpling dough from memory, (b) make the traditional hot water dough from memory, (c) explain why we only make the GF dough when a guest is gluten-free or it is a dedicated GF class, (d) coach a guest through both doughs without touching their bowl.

Why GF dough first – the rule that protects GF guests

In a standard class with no gluten-free guest, skip the GF dough entirely and make only the hot water dough. We only make the GF dough when a gluten-free guest is present or it is a dedicated GF class – and when we do, it is always made FIRST. Here is why. Wheat flour dust travels. A puff of flour from kneading sits in the air for several minutes and settles on benches, hands, and bowls. If you make the wheat dough first and then ask a GF guest to make a GF dough on the same bench, you have cross-contaminated their meal before they even start. The rule is absolute: GF dough is made at a separate bench, on a designated GF station with its own rolling pin, mat, and bowls. After GF dough is covered and resting, hands are washed, the bench is wiped down with a damp cloth, and only then does the HW flour bag come out.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Dumpling Dough (per GF guest)

Ingredients in the pre-mixed bag: 45 g rice flour, 45 g tapioca starch, 10 g glutinous rice flour, 1/2 tsp salt. Added at the bench: 2 tsp canola oil, 75 ml boiling water, measured accurately and poured by Operations at the urn station. For rolling and kneading: extra glutinous rice flour (NOT wheat flour) on the demo bench.

Method per guest

  1. Empty the GF flour bag into bowl B. (Only gluten-free guests make this dough.)
  2. Add 2 tsp canola oil.
  3. Guest brings bowl B to the urn station and sets it flat on the bench, hands well clear. The urn stays put – no one walks the room with boiling water. Operations pours an accurately measured 75 ml of boiling water. Guest carries it back and stirs with a chopstick.
  4. Knead 4-5 minutes. Will look strange at first then come together as a smooth, slightly tacky ball.
  5. Cover with damp cloth. Rest minimum 15 minutes.
  6. For dusting, use glutinous rice flour – never wheat on GF.
The 75 ml of boiling water is critical. Less and the dough crumbles. More and it goes gluey. The guest brings their bowl to the urn station and sets it flat on the bench with hands well clear, and Operations pours an accurately measured amount so the dough is right and no one reaches over hot water.

Recipe: Hot Water Dough (per person)

Ingredients in the pre-mixed bag: 125 g plain flour, pinch of salt. Added at the bench: 65 ml boiling water, measured accurately and poured by Operations at the urn station.

Method per guest

  1. Empty the HW flour bag into bowl A.
  2. Guest brings bowl A to the urn station and sets it flat on the bench, hands well clear. Operations pours an accurately measured 65 ml of boiling water. Stir with a chopstick.
  3. Knead 1 minute in the bowl, then 4-5 minutes on the bench.
  4. Form a ball, cover with damp cloth, rest 15 minutes minimum.

Common dough problems and real-time fixes

Cracking when kneading. Too dry. Wet your hands, knead the water in. Don’t add more from the urn at this stage. Sticking to everything. Too wet, or hands too warm. Dust the bench with the right flour (glutinous for GF, plain for HW). Rest 5 minutes if still resisting. Springing back when rolled. Under-rested. Cover and wait another 5-10 minutes. Tearing when folded. Usually the edge was rolled too thin, so roll the rim a touch thicker. The seal needs only a very small amount of water; too much makes it slip rather than stick.

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