Fail Proof Flour Tortillas Food

OUR FAVORITE SOFT FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Add the salt to the warm water and stir together until the salt has dissolved.
• In a large bowl, use a fork to combine the flour with the oil (or other fat) until it looks crumbly. Pour in almost all of the salty water and stir until a shaggy dough forms. If the mixture seems dry, add a bit more of the water.
• When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured work surface and knead until smooth, two to three minutes. Cover with a clean dish cloth and leave for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour or two. Resting the dough makes rolling it out easier.
• Divide the dough into ten equally sized blobs and then shape into small disks. Use a rolling pin to roll each small disc into 8-inch rounds or use a tortilla press. The thinner the better, here. If you happen to get 9-inch tortillas, don't worry! We also don't worry too much about making them perfectly round. (See our video to watch us do it.)
• Stack the rolled tortillas with a piece of parchment paper between them. Alternatively, you can roll and cook the tortillas at the same time. Roll one tortilla out, then while it cooks, roll the next tortilla out.
• Make ahead: Divide the dough into smaller balls (this recipe makes ten 8-inch tortillas), wrap them very well, and then place into the refrigerator up to three days. About thirty to forty minutes before you are ready to cook the tortillas, take the balls out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before rolling them out.
• Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the first tortilla. Within 20 to 30 seconds, you should start to see it puffing up with bubbles forming.
• When the bottom of the tortilla has some brown spots, flip it and cook until the second side is browned in spots and the tortilla looks dry around the edges. Each tortilla will take 1 to 2 minutes to cook. If this is taking a long time, increase the heat. If the pan starts to smoke or brown the tortillas too quickly, turn the heat down a bit.
• Transfer the cooked tortilla to a dish towel and cover it then continue with the remaining tortillas, adjusting the heat as needed.
• Store leftover tortillas in a resealable plastic bag for a day or two or freeze if needing to store longer. Fresh homemade flour tortillas are in their softest state when warm so if you have room temperature or cold tortillas, we recommend reheating them in a skillet until they are warm and pliable again.

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan (the milk should be 180 degrees F), 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the lard until melted. Let cool for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl until completely combined. Pour in the warm milk mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
• When cool enough to handle, knead the dough in the bowl until almost completely smooth, about 3 minutes; do not overwork, the dough should be soft and only slightly elastic and not sticky. Wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour to relax dough.
• Divide the dough into 16 balls about a scant 3 tablespoons each (or 46g.). Arrange the balls on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with a damp kitchen towel until ready to use.
• Working with one dough ball at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 7-inch round.
• Heat a medium cast-iron skillet or large griddle over medium-high heat.
• Working with one at a time (unless using a large griddle), cook the tortillas, reducing the heat if they are getting dark too quickly, until air bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is brown in spots, about 30 seconds. Poke any large bubbles with a fork to release steam, flip the tortillas and cook until brown in spots on the other side, about 30 seconds. Stack and wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and keep warm. Repeat rolling and cooking the remaining dough balls.

"FAIL PROOF" FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Mix together dry ingredients.
• Cut in shortening.
• Stir in two cups very hot water.
• On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 2 minutes.
• Place in a bowl, cover with a dish towel, and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Knead dough and form into balls.
• Roll them out as thin and round as possible.
• Preheat a griddle or cast-iron skillet.
• Slather the skillet with butter -- (yes, I see other people recommend an ungreased baking surface but I like to slather mine with butter).
• Cook tortillas one at a time, flipping when a bubble forms.
• I then like to slather the cooked tortillas with additional butter because it makes them taste yummy.

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Whisk 3⅓ cups (417 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl to combine. Using your hands, work in 6 Tbsp. lard or vegetable shortening, melted, until incorporated and mixture looks crumbly. Pour in 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. hot water (about 100°F) and mix well.
• Transfer dough to a surface and knead until it comes together and springs back slowly when pressed, about 5 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature at least 1 hour, or chill up to 12 hours (preferable). If chilling, let dough sit at room temperature 1 hour before making tortillas.
• Unwrap dough and divide into 8 equal pieces (about 99 g each if you have a scale). Working with 1 piece at a time, pull edges of dough up and into center, then rest a cupped hand over dough so your palm and fingers enclose it and slowly work your hand in a circular motion on the counter to shape dough into a ball. Cover balls with plastic wrap to keep from drying out and let rest 30 minutes.
• Working one at a time, roll out each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, dusting lightly with more flour if needed (use as little as possible) to 11"-12" rounds (they should be thin enough that you can see the counter through the dough).
• Heat a comal or large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high until smoking. Working one at a time, cook tortillas until charred in spots and bubbles form on surface, 10-15 seconds. Flip and cook until charred in spots on second side, about 10 seconds. Stack and wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm as you go.