Features

• Salt dough can be created in even the sparsest of kitchens. The typical recipe for salt dough calls for two cups of flour and one cup of salt. The flour and salt are mixed together, and the water slowly added. After about 7 to 10 minutes of gentle kneading, the salt dough should be left with a smooth, firm consistency. Additional salt can also provide a firmer, final dough.

Function

• Salt dough is widely used as a modeling medium. It can be used to create ornaments, decorations or even jewelry. Sculptures made from salt dough should be air-dried for 48 hours or baked at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour. When dried, the dough can be painted or varnished. If properly maintained, a salt dough sculpture can survive for several years.

Prevention/Solution

• Freshly made salt dough can dry out easily, and should be stored in a plastic bag for safe keeping. It can be refrigerated for up to five days. Any cracks that occur in the drying process can be filled in with moist dough. Varnished salt dough sculpture should be examined for cracks and weaknesses every few years, otherwise moisture can enter the dough and critically weaken the material. Weak spots should be treated with a fresh coat of paint or varnish.

Types

• Different types of flour can produce different types of salt dough. A whole wheat flour, for example, will produce a golden-brown dough, whereas rye provides a richer, deeper brown. Salt dough made from self-rising flour will expand during the baking process. And different types of salt--sea salt, kosher salt, rock salt--each lend their own distinctive feel to the final products. There is one variety of salt dough, however, that can be considered unique.

Significance

• Play-Doh is a variety of salt dough, although its exact recipe is still considered a trade secret. Originally created in 1955 as a wallpaper cleaner, it was reinvented after the creator's sister-in-law successfully used the dough to teach classes. Over two million cans of the substance have been sold since its inception, and it is widely considered one of the greatest toys of all time. So salt dough has, by another name, served as an unforgettable feature of countless childhoods.