same thing happened to me, I used Turkey Red for the scald, and Turkey Red and some other Red for dough, same weights everything- super stiff!. Dough was way too stiff to “stretch” , more like bagel dough, so added more water, quite a bit more actually but didn’t weigh it.
Hello, my name Is Joycie. I just joined your forum today. I also just learned about the tangzhong/scalding method today. I am very interested in using it in my breadmaking, but I’m not sure how to determine how much flour and water to use to make the preferment dough according to the recipe. Can you help me? I also recently started milling and making my own bread and I’m loving it! However, I’m sure learning to perfect this method of scalding would make for a better loaf of bread, rolls,etc. once I understand the ratio equation better. Any information or tips you offer would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Welcome to the forum 
You can play with the amount of flour and milk/water you use for the tangzhong. Tangzhong is usually made with anywhere from 4-10% of the flour in a bread recipe.
In this recipe the tangzhong is 6% (30/530) of the flour. The tangzhong flour-to-liquid ratio is usually around 1:5, and in this recipe, it is 1:4.7 or 30:140.
This is a whole wheat bread with tangzhong. I used fresh milled flour when I tried it (photos in the comments).
Thank you, Melissa, for your prompt response. However, could you please break this down for me a little more. The percentages are a little confusing to me. I would understand it better in cup measurements. For example, if the recipe calls for 6 cups of flour, how much of that flour in cup measurements would I start the process with…1/2 cup?, 1 cup?..more or less, etc. And the water/milk, the same…how much in cup measurements…1/2 cup? 1 cup?..more or less, etc. This would give me a starting point and, as you mentioned, I could then play with the measurements/percentages until I find one suitable for my personal taste. Thank you again for your patience and your help.
You’re welcome. Using cups and teaspoons is totally fine, but you’re going to have to do some math : )
A cup of flour weighs 130 grams (some say 120 grams)
so 1/2 cup is 65 grams
and 1/4 cup 32.5 gramsA cup of water/milk weighs 237 grams
6 cups x 130 grams = 780 grams flour in your recipe.
4% of 780 = 0.04 x 780 = 31.2 grams flour (very close to 1/4 cup flour)
10% of 780 = 0.10 x 780 = 78 grams flour (a bit more than 1/2 cups flour)
For your 6 cup flour recipe, separate out between 1/4 cup and a heaping 1/2 cup FLOUR to use for the Tangzhong
For the Tangzhong water/milk, the ratio is in weight. 1:5
if you use only 4% of the recipe’s flour aka 31.2 grams then mulitiply it by 5 = 156 grams liquid
if you use 10% of the recipe’s flour aka 78 grams then multiply it by 5 = 390 grams liquid
156 grams /237 grams in a cup of milk/water = 0.66 or 2/3 cup
390 grams /237 grams in a cup of milk/water = 1.65 or approx 1 2/3 cups
For the tangzhong in your 6 cup flour recipe, use 2/3 to 1 2/3 cups MILK/WATER depending on how much flour you chose for your tangzhong. This liquid is in addition to the liquid listed in the recipe.
Thank you so much Melissa for your assistance. The measurements make more sense to me now. I am a 76 year young senior, but I enjoy baking and cooking. I’ve been cooking and baking since I was 7 years old when my mother called me in from play one day, tied an apron on me and told me it was time for me to learn how to cook. I still love learning new things, new techniques and trying new recipes. I will be trying this one very soon because I am out of bread and need to make some more. I recently purchased the NutriMill for grinding by own flour and I have been thoroughly enjoying using it and learning more about various grains and how to use them. So, again, thank you so much for your help.
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You’re welcome. Thank you for sharing your cooking history. Congratulations on your new mill!