When kneading dough, you do both: you press it away from you with the heel of your hand and then stretch and fold it back onto itself, repeating this rocking motion to develop gluten, making the dough smooth, elastic, and strong for baking. It's a continuous action of pushing out, folding over, and turning the dough.
Kneading is hard work, especially with larger amounts of dough. Stretch and folding is better for when you don't want to or can't exert all that effort -- such as arthritis or weakness.
How do you knead good dough? To knead: 1. Push the heel of your palm into the ball of dough, stretching it away from you. 2. Lift the far side of the dough up. 3. Slightly stretch it upwards, then fold in half back towards you. 4. Continue rolling and folding for the time specified in your recipe, usually 8-10 minutes.
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. Some doughs take just 3–5 minutes, while others can take up to 10–15 minutes.
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:
When doing stretch and folds, most recipes call for 4-6 rounds with 30-minute rests in between each round. Early stretch and folds can be more aggressive. Later stretch and folds should be gentler.
Any method of kneading that involves stretching the dough and folding it upon itself, over and over again, is a correct kneading process. You can knead the dough by hand or using an electric mixer with the dough spiral mixer attachment.
A dough hook is the best tool you can use to knead dough. It does everything your hands would do, but more quickly. Not only does a stand mixer and dough hook do all the work—but you're more likely to get better results if you use them instead.
Gently stretch the half of the dough you're holding upwards and fold it away from you, over the dough stuck to the counter. 5. Repeat for 15-30 minutes, rotating the same direction each time, until dough is smooth and fully kneaded.
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.
You can also try gently pressing a finger into your ball of dough. Thoroughly kneaded dough will spring back slowly, indicating that the gluten has developed enough and is able to hold its shape. If it doesn't spring back, then spend some more time kneading it until it's more elastic.
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.
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.
Under-kneaded dough doesn't spring up as much in the oven, resulting in a flat-looking loaf with a dense texture. It may also tear when you try to cut slices. This bread is still perfectly edible (and makes great french toast!), so just remember to knead a little longer when you make your next loaf.
This happens when the dough is too tight or tense, which can be caused by factors such as not letting the dough rest enough, improper hydration, or even using too much flour.
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.
Too much flour and not enough water can cause crumbly bread – people often do this if the dough is too sticky and they add more flour rather than kneading through it.