Large deformation rheological properties of short doughs of carious composi
tion prepared under various mixing times were determined in uniaxial compre
ssion. Sucrose-syrup doughs exhibited prominent yielding and flow behaviour
. Their apparent biaxial extensional viscosity decreased with increasing su
crose content. The stress-strain curves for the sugar-free doughs indicated
a stronger elastic contribution to deformation than did those for the sucr
ose-syrup doughs. The deformability of the former doughs increased with inc
reasing water content. Regardless of dough type, mixing time had a pronounc
ed effect on dough consistency. In addition, it drastically changed the sha
pe of the stress-strain curve for a sugar-free dough. These results ale dis
cussed in terms of the structure of short doughs. It is concluded that sucr
ose delays, if not inhibits, gluten development and promotes formation of a
non-fat continuous phase. whereas mixing promotes formation of a continuou
s fat phase. (C) 1999 Academic Press.