Last Updated on October 14, 2022 by
Not all tortillas are made the same way, so let’s learn how to make tortillas soft and stretchy! This is a quick recipe and informational article that will dive into interesting information about tortillas. It is important to understand that not all tortillas are the same, for example, yellow corn tortillas and white tortillas use different flour.
Tortillas are delicious and surprisingly really easy to make and store! After reading through this blog, you won’t have to wonder how to make tortillas soft and stretchy anymore. Instead of running to the store for tortillas, you can make your own fresh ones!
Table of Contents
What Are Tortillas?
Before we can start to make our own tortillas, we need to understand what they are. Tortillas are delicious flat pieces of bread-like food made out of a special masa. The masa depends exactly on the ingredients used. Yellow corn tortillas, often found in authentic Mexican restaurants are made with corn flour.
However, white corn tortillas are made with white flour made mainly with wheat. The difference in type of flour and meal changes the flavor of the tortillas as well as the overall color. Either way, you use tortillas to eat many different foods! It is a staple in many Mexican homes that has been around for thousands of years.
What Should Tortillas Look Like?
Not all tortillas are made the same, which means they will look vastly different from each other. Although everyone has their own preferences, tortillas should look golden, with some stretch and los of flexibility. The purpose of tortillas is to eat with them and stuff ingredients in the center.
Dishes That Use Tortillas?
What dishes actively use tortillas? When you decide on what you are going to be making for dinner and throughout the week, it makes planning how to make tortillas soft and stretchy a lot easier. A lot of dishes use tortillas as their main food!
For example, tortillas are a main part of eating tacos, and who doesn’t love tacos? These delicious tortillas soak up the flavors of meat and other sauces, while acting as an edible holder. With tacos, you don’t even need to use a fork and a knife!
Not only are tacos a dish that use tortillas, but so are enchiladas! It is more common, however, for enchiladas to use white flour tortillas as opposed to corn tortillas. You can swap them out though depending on your preference! Rolled in the enchiladas and tortillas, are various meats, cheeses, and beans!
How To Make Tortillas Soft and Stretchy
Now that we have a better understanding of what tortillas are, we can start to learn how to make tortillas soft and stretchy. The thing about tortillas is that store-bought ones tend to be hard and break apart once you fold them. This is likely because they are old and don’t have a long shelf life!
Before you can start making the masa though, you will need to gather the ingredients. For yellow corn tortillas, be sure to grab yellow corn flour. This flour is fine, just like white flour, and can be found in the baking section or Latin American section of your grocery store.
In a large bowl, gather the basic ingredients which also includes baking soda, water, and lard or butter. Listed below are three things to consider when searching for how to make tortillas soft and stretchy.
1. Mix the dough with your hands
Not everyone likes to get their hands dirty and sticky, and this is understandable. Although it is understandable, the mixture is hard to completely mold together with just a spoon or whisk. You will need to mold the dough with your hands frequently shifting pressure.
2. Add a fat
When looking into how to make tortillas soft and stretchy, it is important to find a fat. This is what will give your dough and tortillas flavor, while also adding in needed moisture. The extra moisture allows the dough and tortilla to be flexible.
3. Cook on low heat
Patience is key when making tortillas that are both flexible and soft. While it is true that the hotter a stovetop is, the quicker an item will cook, when the heat is too high you can burn and toast your tortillas. Instead of relying on high heat, put your stove top on low and carefully watch as the tortilla cooks and rises.
Tips and Tricks On Making Homemade Tortillas
There are a few tips and tricks on how to make tortillas soft and stretchy that I can happily pass along to you! One tip and trick is to cook the tortillas on a stove top and flat plan that has room for a lid. If you have a lid, place the lid on top of the pan, this will increase the steam while cooking the tortilla.
Something a lot of people forget about when it comes to how to make tortillas soft and stretchy, is that the dough should be thin when placed on the pan. If you roll too much dough onto the pan to cook, it will only thicken and break apart, the opposite of the soft and flexible tortillas you want.
My favorite trick to share on how to make tortillas soft and stretchy is to add an oil. If the mixture is too thick, instead of water, add an oil! The oil hydrates your masa, while also providing a sticky and elastic feel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when looking into how to make tortillas soft and stretchy, it is important to first learn about tortillas and their purpose. Although you can eat tortillas that do not feel soft or stretchy, it does make it harder to fold into certain recipes like tacos and enchiladas. Breaking and cracking tortillas are messy.
Did you learn anything new today about how to make tortillas soft and stretchy? If yes, please feel free to share with us your thoughts in the comments below! Know anyone else interested in learning how to make tortillas soft and stretchy? Send them our way!
FAQs
How do you add elasticity to tortillas?
Adding elasticity to tortillas is relatively easy! You start off by making the mixture with a balance of hydration and flour. To test the elasticity, you can move and pull the dough before cooking it.
How do you make tortillas more flexible?
Tortillas and their flexibility go hand in hand. If you want to make your tortillas more flexible, you will need to add more liquid to your mixture. It should be thick enough to mold, but thin enough to pour.
Why do my homemade tortillas break?
Some homemade tortillas break when there is too much flour or if the tortilla is cooked at a high temperature for too long.
Why are my tortillas coming out hard?
Sometimes, tortillas come out hard. This is usually because of an issue when cooking the tortilla. Overcooking tortillas makes the tortillas come out hard.
How To Make Tortillas Soft And Stretchy
Instructions
- Not everyone likes to get their hands dirty and sticky, this is understandable. Although it is understandable, the mixture is hard to completely mold together with just a spoon or whisk. You will need to mold the dough with your hands frequently shifting pressure.
- When looking into how to make tortillas soft and stretchy, it is important to find a fat. This is what will give your dough and tortillas flavor, while also adding in needed moisture. The extra moisture allows the dough and tortilla to be flexible.
- Patience is key when making tortillas that are both flexible and soft. While it is true that the hotter a stovetop is, the quicker an item will cook, when the heat is too high you can burn and toast your tortillas. Instead of relying on high heat, put your stove top on low and carefully watch as the tortilla cooks and rises.
Notes
Casia is a passionate home cook who loves to share her love of Mexican food with the world. She has been cooking since she was a child, helping her grandmother in the kitchen and learning the traditional techniques used to create delicious Mexican dishes. Casia loves to experiment with new ingredients and flavors, always looking for ways to make her dishes even more flavorful. She is also passionate about teaching others about Mexican cuisine and its rich history. When she is not in the kitchen, Casia enjoys exploring new cultures, traveling, and spending time with her family.