FAQs
Kneading dough is as simple as pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your palm, folding it over itself with your fingers, and pulling it back. This repeated push-pull cross-knits the protein strands, developing a strong gluten net.
What if you don't knead dough enough? ›
A failure to knead dough (unless you're working with a no-knead recipe) can lead to: Poor gluten development: When you don't knead bread, the gluten won't form properly. This can result in a lack of elasticity and strength, meaning your final product is likely to come out of the oven dense and heavy.
How should my dough look after kneading? ›
Smooth Dough – The dough will start out looking like a shaggy, lumpy mass and will gradually smooth out as you knead. By the time you finish, it should be completely smooth and slightly tacky to the touch. 2. Holds Its Shape – Lift the ball of dough in your hand and hold it in the air for a second.
What are the rules for kneading dough? ›
Simple Steps for Kneading
Begin kneading the dough, pushing it down and then outward, only using the heels of your hands. Fold the dough in half toward you and press down. Then use the heels of your hands again to push down and outward, lengthening and stretching the strands of gluten and dough fibers.
Is it better to knead dough by hand or machine? ›
So while hand kneading can be a gratifying process, we recommend using a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for this task. A dough hook is the best tool you can use to knead dough. It does everything your hands would do, but more quickly.
Can you over knead dough by hand? ›
Kneading dough by hand also makes it virtually impossible to over-knead, which will prevent your bread from becoming too dense. The key to unlocking all these benefits lies in mastering two basic kneading techniques: the French Fold and the Stretch and Fold.
Do you let dough sit before kneading? ›
It means to let your dough rest (I give it 25-30 minutes) before kneading. This allows the flour to become thoroughly saturated, and provides time for the gluten chains to start forming up before you even lay a hand on the dough — more pre-kneading. Following that, it's an easy 5 to 7 minutes — that's all!
What are the key signs that the dough has been kneaded enough? ›
The first way to check is to simply poke the dough with your finger. If the dough bounces back without sticking to your finger, it's been kneaded enough.
How to tell when the first rise is done? ›
If the dough springs back right away (it's saying, “Hey, why'd you do that!”), let it rise for a few more minutes. If the dough springs back slowly, like it's waking up from a long nap, and your prod leaves a small indentation, it's ready to go.
Should I stretch and fold no knead dough? ›
Stretching and folding the dough
(See video for details of the stretch and fold technique.) Cover the bowl and leave for 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold process another 3 or 4 times, leaving 30 minutes in between each round. At the end if this time, the dough should have double in size.
Smooth Dough – The dough will start out looking like a shaggy, lumpy mass and will gradually smooth out as you knead. By the time you finish, it should be completely smooth and slightly tacky to the touch. 2. Holds Its Shape – Lift the ball of dough in your hand and hold it in the air for a second.
How long does dough need to be kneaded? ›
Make kneading a pleasure
Keep kneading until it has a smooth texture and can be stretched without tearing – this typically takes 10 minutes. Make it relaxing by turning on the radio and setting a timer. It's possible to over-knead dough if you're using a tabletop mixer.
What does under kneaded dough feel like? ›
While you're still in the kneading stage, you can tell if your dough is under-kneaded if it's floppy and loose, tears easily, and still looks shaggy. (Essentially, the opposite of all the signs of fully kneaded dough.)
