If you have ever tried to make bread or pastry, you may have noticed that it leaves your kitchen messy. Bits of dough will stick to every available surface. Sprinkling the work surface with flour reduces the stickiness, but also leaves a mess that is difficult to clean up with water. After all, if you add water you’ll just get more sticky dough.
A special tool can be used to clean up this mess in a hurry. It’s called a dough scraper. It is a thin piece of metal around 3” to 6” long with a handle across the top. After your bread is in the oven, a few quick scrapes will loosen up the extra dough and flour for easy disposal. Your counter top or work table can then be used for your next project.
Dough scrapers also have other uses. If you have a large batch of dough, it can be hard to split into even loaves. A dough scraper can precisely cut through dough like a knife. Unlike a knife, the tall blade of a dough scraper lets the baker pull away the split lump of dough without disturbing the other side. You can even scoop up the dough and move it to where it will rise. Some chefs even use these scrapers to lift sliced vegetables.
It’s best to use a metal scraper with a flat edge. Plastic scrapers clean adequately, but they won’t slice dough for long. Scrapers with rounded edges are meant for scraping out bowls, which can occasionally come in handy.
If the thought of cleaning up after baking makes you want to run away, get yourself a dough scraper. It makes bread making a pleasant experience.
