Fixing Milk-Protein Dough Problems

Sticky paste, crumbly paste, cracking baits, too soft, too hard

Start here

Direct answer

Most dough problems come from either:

  • too much “functional” milk powder without structure control, or
  • too much structure tool without enough workable base, or
  • process inconsistency (egg size, rest time, boil/dry).

Quick Start

Before changing ingredients:

  • Weigh everything
  • Rest paste 10–15 minutes
  • Keep boil time consistent
  • Dry the same way each batch

Step-by-step troubleshooting

Problem: paste is too sticky / smears

Common causes: too much fine soluble powder, too much liquid, not rested.
Fixes:

  • Rest the dough
  • Add dry base/binders gradually (don’t dump)
  • If milk module is heavy, reduce “fast” powders slightly and add structure control (acid/rennet) next batch, not mid-paste

Problem: paste is crumbly / won’t bind

Common causes: too much dry structure powder, not enough hydration, too much coarse base.
Fixes:

  • Add liquid slowly and knead properly
  • Consider that structure caseins can stiffen paste — keep them sensible

Problem: baits crack when drying

Common causes: drying too fast, uneven dough hydration, too much hardener.
Fixes:

  • Slower dry (more airflow control)
  • Review hardener tools: albumen / whey gel / heavy structure casein

Problem: baits too soft in water

Common causes: too much “fast” powder (WPH, caseinates), warm water, short boil.
Fixes:

  • Add structure control (acid/rennet) next batch
  • If needed, introduce a small amount of whey gel or albumen with testing
  • Confirm boil and dry are consistent

Problem: baits too hard / feel like stones

Common causes: too much hardener/structure or overcooking.
Fixes:

  • Reduce whey gel/albumen/structure casein
  • Don’t “fix” everything with longer boil

Do this / Avoid this

Do this

  • Change one variable per test batch
  • Keep notes

Avoid this

  • Mid-batch panic changes that you can’t replicate later

Michigan Notes

Warm shallow water + panfish pecking will expose weak baits fast. If you’re fishing those spots, you need controlled water time.

FAQ

Should I just boil longer?
Only if you know boil time is the real issue. Often it’s the ingredient balance.

Do milk powders make paste harder to roll?
They can. That’s why you keep a simple module and test.

Next Steps

  • Solubility vs Water Time: PASTE_URL_HERE
  • Whey gel + albumen: PASTE_URL_HERE
  • Casein guide: PASTE_URL_HERE