Kneading longer develops gluten, creating a stronger, chewier structure for bread, but kneading too much can break down gluten, making dough tough, sticky, and hard to work with, leading to dense bread; for soft, tender results (like rolls or biscuits), you often need less kneading or gentle folding and resting to relax the gluten, while long kneading creates elasticity for light loaves. The key is balanced development, stopping when the dough passes the "windowpane test," not just kneading endlessly.
Dough should still feel a little tacky. As you knead, you'll start to feel the texture of the dough change; it will begin to smooth out and feel softer and more elastic. The length of time a dough requires kneading depends on the recipe.
If dough gets overworked and above a certain temperature, those gluten strands developed by combining moisture with flour will start to break apart. This in turn affects the proofing process and the texture of the dough (tough, too chewy).
Short answer: bread firms up after home baking because of starch retrogradation and uneven moisture distribution--commercial bakeries control ingredients, mixing, oven conditions, and cooling to slow those processes so their loaves stay softer longer.
Milk powder.
Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.
Egg has protein, fat, water and while the fat and water soften the crumb, the protein helps with strengthening the gluten and capturing more CO2. Eggs are also helping with leavening the dough which adds to the rise. Doughs that have more egg usually rise more, so go ahead and play around a bit!
If your dough feels dense and tough to handle when you stop the mixer, it is a sign that it is becoming over-kneaded. Over-kneaded dough can become very hard to work with and produce a more flat and chewy bread.
7 Breadmaking mistakes to avoid:
If your recipe calls for a 1- to 3-hour rise at room temperature (either first or second rise), opt for a long (8- to 12-hour) rise in the refrigerator. It can last up to about 16 hours, depending on the recipe, but be careful not to let the bread dough overproof.
Over-kneaded dough will also tear easily; in under-kneaded dough this is because the gluten hasn't become elastic enough, but in over-kneaded dough, this means that the gluten is so tight that it has very little give.
Here are some few reasons: 1▪️Not kneading the dough properly. 2▪️The flour could have too low protein content. 3▪️There could be too much salt in the recipe.
Properly proofed dough will be much more consistent in structure, with a soft and fluffy interior, and larger, but more evenly dispersed air bubbles present in the crumb. Over proofed bread is likely to have a very open crumb structure, due to the development of excess CO2 during the proofing stage.
The benefits of stretch and fold
The dough develops gluten just as well using the stretch and fold method as it does kneading the dough for 10-15 minutes. Some flours will benefit from the stretch and fold method.
The Poke Test – Give that ball of dough a firm poke with your finger. If the indentation fills back quickly, you're good to go. If it stays looking like a deep dimple, continue kneading.
After doing some searching, I found a comment from a professional baker that said to just let the overprocessed dough rest for an hour and the gluten structure will strengthen again. I'm so glad I did that because I was ready to throw it out.
You can tell you've kneaded dough too much if it becomes difficult to stretch. Sometimes this happens when you use a stand mixer or food processor. Overkneaded dough will be tough and make tough, chewy bread.
A dough hook is the best tool you can use to knead dough. It does everything your hands would do, but more quickly.
Dough Tip: If you plan on working or shaping your dough or pasta, always let it rest after kneading - usually 10-15 minutes. Doing so makes the dough very malleable. Dough tends to tear if a period of rest isn't observed.
Fortunately, one of the most glaring baking problems has an easy solution: ensuring your bread stays moist. The key is twofold: use quality ingredients and let the dough stand overnight. If you're using storebought flour, opt for “bread flour,” which will hold better in heat and help create a more tender crumb.
Your choice of flour makes a very big difference in bread baking — flours with a higher protein content create loftier yeasted breads. King Arthur Bread Flour has 12.7% protein — a whole point higher than other national brands. It strengthens the rise, so your breads are lofty and perfectly textured every time.
Food Republic spoke on this topic with Marissa Stevens, recipe developer and food blogger at Pinch & Swirl, and she told us, "Too many eggs can make baked goods rubbery or overly firm." She continued by saying that eggs help provide structure and richness, but only when a fine balance is achieved with fat and flour.