Help me with my new tortilla maker!!

[Karie]

I got this for Christmas and have been playing around with it. I can't get the tortillas very thin, and when I cook them, they get hard. I could use some helpful advice about what I'm doing wrong, and if you have a good recipe, please pass it along. I did both a corn and flour batch, and they both turn out kind of hard.

[KS_]

I haven't made tortillas for quite awhile, but used to make them regularly (only flour - I never tried corn). But I found that it was absolutely necessary to let the dough rest before using the press to cook and flatten them. Otherwise, they would not be very thin. So my method was to make the dough, divide it into tortilla sized pieces (guess that depends on the size of your press and how big of tortillas you want to make), and then roll the pieces into balls. I'd then let them rest for at least 15 minutes (covered with a towel) before I tried cooking them. Then I'd slightly flatten each one before putting it in the press. I'd press and turn a few times and then cook them for a bit longer.

[Blueridge]

When I tried to use my tortilla maker to both squish and cook the tortillas, they turned out hard, too. I think they just stayed in the press too long. Now I just press them flat inside the machine and then move them over to my hot griddle. I cook each side only a minute or two and they stay soft. This goes much quicker than doing each one individually. Also bag them while warm will keep them softer. I use half white/half wheat flour.

Ginger

[klmama]

Is this one of the traditional, metal, hand presses, or something else? If it's the kind you can use waxed paper with, do! It enables you to press the dough a little thinner without it sticking to the press, then peel it off the waxed paper to cook. You may need to add a little moisture to the dough, too, to keep it from being tough. I seem to remember the masa harina recipe made thick, tough tortillas, and the way to improve it was to add a bit of water at a time to get a texture that would press thin with the waxed paper on each side, but not so moist and thin that it fell apart.

 

ETA: Reading the other posts tells me there must be a press on the market that cooks them, too. I'm sure you realize it, but you wouldn't want to use waxed paper with anything that would be heated!

Edited January 29, 2009 by klmama

[Unicorn.]

You're cooking them too long. Ask me how I know, and how long it took to figure it out. Basically you just need to heat them through. 30 seconds-1 minute per side, and they won't be thin like at a restaurant. HTH

[WTMindy]

We have played around with ours a lot too. I must confess that my dh's ALWAYS come out better than mine. It is a bit of a finicky science. I'll post the recipe that we use later this evening. (I don't have it here) But, we also found (like another poster) that we couldn't flatten them and cook them with the lid closed. We flatten them (give a good firm press) and then open it back up and cook it on the press 40-50 seconds on each side. If you have a griddle, it goes faster because otherwise you are cooking them one at a time and it takes awhile. We use a tortilla warmer to keep them warm and they are YUMMY!!!!! We also let the tortilla balls rest for a while and flatten them slightly before pressing.

[TraceyS/FL]

I have had a tort maker for years. I need another one....

 

I use wayyyy less dough for mine that what i should (i get more than a dozen out of it). Do let it rest - i cover the bowl with plastic wrap to keep it moist.

 

The basic recipe i use from my instructions is:

 

2 cups of flour

1/4 tsp of salt

1/4 cup of oil

2/3 cup warm water

 

I've also started adding a tad bit of baking powder and like the results.

 

So, mix the flour and salt, then "cut in" the oil till it's all blended/crumbly. You can use a fork - i've just recently bought a pastry blender so i've been using that.

 

Then mix/knead the water in, kneading the dough for 3-5 minutes (according to my mother). Then let sit for 15-20 minutes.

 

I can't tell you what consistency the dough should be -it's trial and error. It will take some experimenting around - took my MIL a month apparently.

 

Place "ball" in maker, press to flatten, lift lid and cook for a short time on each side. Don't overcook them - just till they change colors. As to the SIZE of the ball, my maker is a 7" one (or 8? i'm not getting up to measure it), i use a ball that is probably 1.5" across but not round. Try using less to get them thinner - mine actually are thinner than store bought. Those seem really thick to me and well.... i just try to not buy them! LOL!!

 

I also don't like to make them ahead of time..... we make them as we eat. My mom does hers ahead of time and it works out. They stick together for me.

[Karie]

Thank you all for the information. I really appreciate it. I've gleaned some good info and will give these a try. More recipes are welcome, too:001_smile:

[Snickerdoodle]

A metal tortilla press is for making corn tortillas. I never heard of anyone making flour tortillas with a press.

[KS_]

A metal tortilla press is for making corn tortillas. I never heard of anyone making flour tortillas with a press.

 

This is a link to the one I have - it presses and cooks them, and you can use it for flour ones:

 

http://www.amazon.com/VillaWare-V5955-Grand-Tortilla-Flatbread/dp/B00005R85X

[Snickerdoodle]

This is a link to the one I have - it presses and cooks them, and you can use it for flour ones:

 

http://www.amazon.com/VillaWare-V5955-Grand-Tortilla-Flatbread/dp/B00005R85X

 

Interesting. Hmm...