Have you ever tried to make tortillas at home, only to find that they crack and split? If the texture is too hard, you’re doing something wrong – but what could it be?
Various things can be responsible for cracking tortillas, including the wrong cooking temperature, moisture loss, and using the wrong amount of oil. Tortillas may also crack if the dough is too cold, or if you don’t knead them correctly (for flour tortillas). Rolling them too thin or too thick may cause problems too.
Nobody wants tortillas that crack when they handle them, so we’re going to use this article to troubleshoot tortilla cooking problems and find out what you can do to make yours soft and pliable.
Why Are My Tortillas Cracking?
Tortillas are generally fairly easy to make at home, and this can be a great option if you’re trying to avoid plastic packaging or certain ingredients, or just if you enjoy making things from scratch.
However, it often takes a bit of practice to get it right, and there are some pitfalls you should look out for if you don’t want your tortillas to crack. These include:
- The wrong cooking temperature
- Moisture loss
- Too much or too little oil
- The dough was too cold
- You haven’t kneaded them enough
- They are too thin or too thick.
1) The Wrong Cooking Temperature
Having your temperature too high when you cook the tortillas is a sure way to cause them to crack. The outside of the tortilla will cook faster than the inside, and as it expands, the whole tortilla will stiffen, increasing the risk that it will crack.
Don’t turn your heat up full when you first add tortillas to the pan. Go for a medium-high heat, and experiment until you get a feel for the right temperature.
2) Moisture Loss
Dry dough is also a major issue that results in the tortilla splitting. If the dough doesn’t have enough moisture in it, it will shrink too quickly, tearing the molecules of the tortilla apart. You might see the dough split when you roll it, or only when you cook it – but either way, lack of moisture is a very common issue.
Be careful about adding too much flour when you are rolling out the tortilla, and this will help to keep the dough sufficiently moist.
3) Too Much Or Too Little Oil
You need to follow your recipe’s guidance when it comes to figuring out how much oil you should use. Too much oil will lead to greasy tortillas that will fall apart, and too little will result in them becoming tough when you cook them.
You want just the right amount of oil, so choose a recipe that has good reviews, and swap to another if you’re having problems with it.
4) The Dough Was Too Cold
If your dough is too cold when you start to knead it, there’s a chance that it will split. The molecules become stretchier and more pliant when they are warm, so if you’ve chilled the dough in the fridge, let it come back up to room temperature before you try to roll it out and cook it.
5) You Haven’t Kneaded Them Enough
This doesn’t apply to all tortilla recipes, but it’s a problem worth knowing about if you’re making flour tortillas. Flour tortillas are dependent on the development of the gluten for their structure. They become elastic and pliable when the gluten has developed – and kneading is what develops the gluten.
You should therefore make sure you are kneading your tortillas for at least 10 minutes, and allowing them to rise for a further 10 minutes (or more, according to your recipe). This will give the gluten sufficient time to activate and develop, and should prevent your tortillas from cracking.
6) They Are Too Thin Or Too Thick
A tortilla that is the wrong thickness won’t hold up well, either. Thin tortillas simply don’t have enough substance and will unfortunately tear quite easily. They are hard to handle, and might fall apart when you’re lifting them into the pan, or as you’re flipping them or taking them out.
Thick tortillas will be pulled apart by their own weight. They will resist bending and flexing, making them impossible to use for burritos or wraps. With a bit of practice, you’ll get the hang of the thickness, but pay attention to it and compare your tortillas with store-bought ones if you aren’t sure how to roll them out.
Conclusion
Making tortillas from scratch can be a lot of fun, and it isn’t usually too difficult. If you’re having trouble with them cracking, use the troubleshooting tips above to ensure they are moist enough, warm enough, and contain enough oil to hold together. If they’re still cracking, try kneading them for a bit longer, or roll them to a different thickness.
