Personally I would choose granite over marble for a countertop.I have tile now, may upgrade to granite, tired of grout cleaning. Marble is softer,it may chip easier. Marble, even if it is sealed and using a lighter color it's going to stain over time.
Both stay cold for rolling dough, it's just Marble is the standard. Yes you can roll all types of dough on it. I prefer wood for rolling dough, but if making a thin Sandtart cookie I have a marble slab I put over my wood island. Just seems I have better control using the slab for that.

I once saw a program of Wolfgang Pucks island, and what I consider the ultimate island. On the one end, they took a small dorm room sized refrigerator/freezer. Took the top off the freezer, put in springs and a plate, had marble slab with a removable butcher wood slab on top of the marble, so it was flush with the wood countertop. Remove the butcherblock slab and the marble top popped up for rolling dough.

I've never used marble, but I roll out stuff all the time right on my granite. Seems to work with no problems.

busylizzy....I want to do that in my next (ha ha) kitchen! I wish I had thought of that 5 years ago when we were building!

I had granite in my last kitchen and marble in this kitchen. Both are great for rolling out dough because they stay cool.

Marble is softer and it might chip if you toss your keys on the counter, etc. From my experience, properly sealed marble won't stain. I have calacatta oro, sealed with 511 Porous Plus. All the stain offenders have, at one time or another, been left for too long on the counters...no staining. The concern is etching. Acidic products will etch the stone...leaving a very dull, matte spot. My counters are honed to a very low sheen. Polished marble will really show etches too much. I have some etches where MIL squirted lemon in a drink. I know it's there, but others don't see it. You have to be at the right angle, right light. The quicker you wipe up the acid, the less of an etch. I do pastry making, fudge making, etc, right on my (clean!!) counters. It's all good. Plus, I have 4 children and a messy DH! Granite poses less of a worry...a lot of granites don't etch like this and you can keep them polished and pristine. DH would have much preferred granite so he wouldn't have to worry about anything he does! That's my experience, anyway!

I don't have either, I roll dough right on my bright orange formica counters, LOL.

I did have a marble board that I used for rolling dough, but I dropped it and broke it. It was nice and stayed cool, but it wasn't particularly sturdy, as evidenced by my breaking it!

I have no experience with granite, I just think I'd love to have it in the kitchen when Elery and I build.

Hey, Deb, I'm happy to see you again. "Your" bread machine is going to make every one of the dinner rolls for Amanda's wedding, just like it made every one for mine! Almost like you're here...

Annie

Hi Busy! Welcome to the CF, I may run into you over on the KF as I'm just now into the planning stage of a total kitchen redo myself.

I currently have a 19X27 marble slab that I had custom cut a few years ago. It is wonderful for rolling out chilled doughs. The marble is about 7 degrees cooler than your room temp. which makes it perfect for rolling pie crusts, cookies and laminated doughs. In my kitchen redo I hope to work this piece of mable into my baking center counter. My mable piece is carrera marble and I think it will look nice worked into a soapstone counter....

Doughs stick to the marble, just like any other surface and I find using parchment paper/flour still a big help. It's the cooler surface that makes the marble so nice.
I'm not sure if granite has the same temp difference or not.

Nancy

I have granite and have only rolled out dough on it once -- dough stuck.

I have an old Tupperware plastic mat that I use to roll out dough on -- Even after cleaning my granite it just doesn't feel clean enough for me to roll out dough on it.

Both marble and granite sound nice. Like Annie, I don't have either.

I roll dough out on my humble wooden kitchen table top. I always think if I get something that fancy I will stop cooking because I may damage it! LOL

If the purpose of marble is to keep the dough cool, I definitely won't need it. Our kitchen is already so freakin' cold that marble probably won't make a difference! :-P

Al

gb85:
I haven't had a problem with Marble for working with dough.
True, marble is softer than granite but believe me, it is not " Soft "
Like saying Iron is softer than Steel.

I had a 3 X 6ft Marble work top in my Pizzeria, which was great.
Wish I had a piece in my kitchen , now.
As far as appearance, I choose marble , hands down.

There are so many colors and beautiful grains in marble.

Of course the dealers will push whatever they are selling.

Marble or Granite are both good for rolling dough.

I wouldn't use knives on either.

I have a moveable Island like your's, that holds a roll out trash recepticle.
It has a Maple butcherblock top and I worked with Stone all my life . LOL!

I would choose whichever is more Eye Appealing and learn how to care for whatever.
You can't abuse the product either way, like dropping it to the floor.
Learn the how's of caring for whatever you choose.
LOU

Oh, things stick sometimes, definitely. I don't roll pie dough on it because I'm not adept enough at getting it up...even with my large bench scraper!

(Annie! Hi!!! I am sooo excited about Amanda's wedding! Finally, huh?!! You're SOOO great to do all that cooking! I'm out of HG...so I think about you all the time! :) I never got around to making it this season since the hardwood floors were being refinished over the summer...due to a Jan. 09 pipe burst!)

Marble or granite are the same temperature as any other material in your kitchen, unless they are chilled in the refrigerator.

If your dough is chilled and you don't have a cold surface to work with it, then wood would be better because wood is a better insulator.

If you are one of those who are very interest in "clean", look into Microban treatment.

Yes marble stains. If your are going to have marble counter top, also be careful with the use of adhesive type, which can bleed thru to the top surface.

dcarch

gb85 - There was a recent post on this but I searched all the forums and couldn't find it. It basically said that marble was great for rolling out pie dough because it feels cooler to the touch. Decades ago granite was not an option so those that had the finances installed marble for baking prep purposes. Both feel similar to touch in terms of coldness.

For 26+ years I rolled out my pie dough on my wood kitchen table. Now my kitchen table is gone and I roll out pie dough on granite at my baking center. I lightly flour the counter whether it's wood or granite and I've seldom had problems. Supposedly the granite is easier because it's cooler to the touch, but honestly I can't say I've seen much difference. I also have marble on my hutch counter but since it's not a problem to roll out dough on the granite, I've never tried it on the marble. As long as I stick to my trusted pie crust recipe and my 28 yr. old marble rolling pin, the counter material has not been a factor for me.

Granite is wonderful for rolling out dough - it is always cool and easy to clean.

Deb, I just made a batch, send me an email!

Yes, David and Amanda have been together 9 years now, it's about time. Amanda says she and Dave get along better than anyone she knows, she's afraid if they get married it'll change...

Annie

gb85:
Another note:
Many moons ago, There were Soda Foutains in A lot of Drug Stores.
That's when they made Ice Cream Soda's, Ice Cream Sundays and Milk Shakes that were mostly Ice Cream.

They were all made of Italian marble, the Fronts and the Tops.

I don't remember them having any problems with Stains.

That's how I retrieved the Marble for my Pizzeria.
I remodeled one store and kept the Marble.
Lou

We roll dough on our granite - love having it. One nice thing about the granite is that I use the bench scraper on it when working a wet dough or to for the first clean-up after working with the dough. It is hard enough that I don't have to worry about scratching it with the scraper.

(Geologically our stone isn't really granite. It's quartzite which is even harder.)

Thanks to all for the information. I think I will stick with granite as that is what the rest of the countertops will be. One more question - will different finish types of granite affect rolling out dough? (i.e polished, honed, leather - the leather has a slightly uneven feel which I have to think would not be good for this task)

thanks again

We have had our granite counter tops for 13 years. It is great for rolling out all types of dough. We do it right on the floured counter. Clean up is easy. I like to have my counters cold when rolling out doughs so I put water in the jumbo sized baggies laying flat in the freezer. Just lay them on the counter to get it cold. You won't be disappointed in your granite counters. NancyLouise

I would like to know what you all clean your granite with before rolling out dough on it. Aren't you concerned about fuzz, hair, germs, etc...

Nancylouise, great tip on the ice baggies..

I have Corian..I roll directly on that...works great..

I have a piece of corian that I mostly use to roll and knead on...it'd easier to clean up than goo on a counter, And I also have a formica covered roll out board under a counter...I use that for huge batches of rolls or cookies.
But I alos have a large hunk of marble under a bed, IUt's about 27 by 45 oir 50 inches and a good inch thick. When I was abpoit 11, I salvaged it from the old outhpouse next door when they were tearing it down and filling it in. You have heard the term a brick...uh...out house? Well this onew s elegant Victorian....a 2 seater with marble seats an d an area next to the seats to "put your purse on"...or a bouquetr of flowers I guess!
Anyhow I dragged part of this hunk of marble home and my mother had it cut to eliminate the half circle of the hole and now I have it....b it's too hard to lift easily.
I have used it mainly as a cheese board....and also to serve a sheet cake.
amanda's getting married ! Yee haw!! I think that's very important...legally.
Linda C

Yup, LindaC, she's getting married in October. It's very important legally, and it's very important to David's elderly grandparents, his very Italian/Catholic grandmother is in her late 80s and her health isn't good, she keeps telling him that she can't die happy until they're married, LOL.

As for the marble, my sheet of marble was especially made for rolling dough, it was a wedding gift. About 12 inches wide and 18 inches long, only maybe 1/4 inch thick. Of course, I dropped it, I drop everything.

I considered tile floors at one time and discarded the idea when the girls pointed out that everything I dropped on tile was going to break and I drop a lot of stuff.

Yes, granite, that's what I want in the next house. Except the bathroom, where I want LindaC's piece of marble, LOL.

Annie

stir fryi- (done in my best Vinnie Barberino voice) "Whaaat, you're spose to clean them first? lol. I don't worry about all the things you mentioned. Just a little dish soap on a damp dish cloth and wipe away. Dry with a dish towel and I'm ready to go. The granite I have is called Uba Tuba. It is easy to maintain, doesn't need to be sealed, and takes what our family dishes out and still looks beautiful to boot. NancyLouise

I clean my counter tops the same as Nancylouise. :o)

Um...LindaC, are you saying you serve food on an old outhouse seat?

I want to change all of my countertops to granite, but it will have to wait a while longer.

I roll dough out on my countertop (formica) or on a large wooden cutting board.

Linda

Yep.....but that was easily 60 years ago when I rescued it....and many years before that since it had been in a USED out house.
My mother used it on a table to hold plants....
I scoured it well with Comet....it doesn't have a high polish...
Probably has more grease from the cheese than any othwer stains.

ROTFLMAO... I remember an infomercial several years ago for non-stick cookware where they discussed cast iron. "It tastes like Grandma's cooking because it IS Grandma's cooking!"

Fast forward to Linda C's marble...???...!!!

Just kidding of course, really. I'd love to have that slab in my kitchen if just for the story behind it. And I'd use it, just as I use my vintage cast iron with its undocumented "patina".