You should stop kneading when the dough feels smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test (stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing) and the poke test (indentation springs back quickly), indicating sufficient gluten development for a light, fluffy bread. While time varies, typically 10-15 minutes by hand or with a mixer is common, but feel, elasticity, and appearance are the best indicators.
If you're not using a mixer, knead until the dough feels soft, stretchy, and smooth. It should pass the windowpane test-gently stretch it, and if you can see light through it without tearing, it's ready.
You'll know your dough is ready when it has a smooth texture. Stretch a section of dough between your fingers. If the dough tears, it needs to be kneaded more. If it stretches without tearing (making a windowpane of sorts), your dough is ready.
Kneading length varies greatly in yeast bread recipes. Some doughs take just 3–5 minutes, while others can take up to 10–15 minutes. For those longer knead times, if your arms are getting tired, feel free to pop the dough back into your stand mixer and use the dough hook for a few minutes to give your hands a break.
In broad strokes, if a recipe calls for you to stir or knead the dough then let it rise undisturbed, go ahead and stir or knead but only to the point where ingredients are homogeneous and you have a “shaggy mass.” At that point you can step away, returning to fold three to four times in the first hour of fermentation.
7 Breadmaking mistakes to avoid:
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).
The reason is as mentioned above, the dough that has been rested will be more relaxed and easy to shape, making it easier for bakers to make bread dough. On the other hand, proofing or final fermentation is the process of expanding the dough to double or reach an optimal size.
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.
Bread Recipe
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 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.
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.
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.
If your dough is a floppy mess as you're trying to mold it and doesn't hold its shape, it probably needs a bit more kneading. To continue kneading your dough, form it until a ball and give it a rest for a few minutes, then knead it a little more and repeat before forming into its final shape.
Generally a dough that's been kneaded longer will have more a more uniform crumb than one that hasn't been kneaded as much. In overkneaded dough the gluten will start tearing and breaking down (this is harder to do by hand than it is in a mixer), and the dough is often over-oxidized.
1. Basic fold: If you're new to kneading, keep in mind that most bread doughs respond well to the simple motion of folding a dough round in half, then pressing the dough with the heels of your hands. 2. Claw method: For doughs that are kneaded right in the mixing bowl, try the claw method.
Folding is a more gentle technique; the dough is stretched, then folded over on itself. Generally, the moisture content of the dough determines which method is best. The wetter the dough, the more difficult it is to knead, so folding often is better for doughs such as focaccia, ciabatta and high-hydration sourdoughs.