A dough scraper is a versatile tool used in baking, with applications including kneading dough, dividing it evenly, and cleaning surfaces. It can also be used for cleaning and other tasks, and is affordable and worth owning.
A dough scraper is a handy tool, for both professional bakers and home cooks. It is usually a long rectangular piece of metal, topped with a wooden or plastic handle. It may alternatively be called a pastry cutter, bench knife, bench scraper, pastry scraper, or pastry knife. It is also possible to use the term cutter, but it is not actually correct. A pastry cutter is used to cut butter into flour for different types of pasta and is quite different in shape. In all, the dough scraper has numerous applications in baking.
Most commonly, the dough scraper is used for a few basic things. As you knead the dough on an open surface, you can use the dough scraper to knead any bits of flour that fall to the side. You can also discard any dough you’ve dried that you don’t want combined with the rest of the dough. Another fairly practical application of the dough scraper is its ability to divide dough evenly. You can of course do this with a knife as well, but why use another tool if you don’t have to
Many cooks like the dough scraper because it’s one of the best cleaning tools in the kitchen. After kneading the dough, a pass or two with the scraper will remove any flour or dry bits left behind, cleaning a surface in seconds. If a dough has dried out on a board or surface you’ve been kneading on, light pressure on the scraper will usually pull the dough out.
There’s really no good reason not to have a dough scraper, even if you don’t bake bread often. For example, if you’re rock chipping, the scraper will be excellent for removing small bits of crust. It can also be a useful cleaning tool after cutting vegetables or fruits. You will likely find numerous other applications for a scraper.
Perhaps one of the best features of a dough scraper is its price. A simple stainless steel scraper with a wooden handle can often be purchased online for around $2 US Dollars (USD). You can find them at kitchen supply stores for a bit more, perhaps as low as $5-10 USD. Given their usefulness, even at higher price points, dough scrapers are worthy kitchen tools and worth owning at least one.
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