|
|
|
BREAD TOPICS:
HOW TO
MAKE BASIC BREAD:
3. Knead the Dough
|
|
 Q:
My baked bread always comes out too dense. Why ?
A: Not kneading the dough enough and adding too
much flour during the process, as well as insufficient
rising or proofing, are
some of the many common problems that can lead to
dense and flavorless bread. Kneading develops the gluten in the
wheat flour, which is responsible for the dough's elasticity and ability to
rise. (For more about
bread problems). |
ABOUT KNEADING:
Kneading
is a necessary step in the bread making process.
The biggest problem bakers
have is they don't knead the dough long enough. It takes a good 8 - 10 minutes
to knead dough with lightly floured hands on a lightly floured countertop. (I
use a kitchen timer to help me keep track of the time!)
Kneading can also be done with a
stand mixer on low speed by dough hook for
5 minutes or pulsing for 45 seconds with a food
processor.
Bread machines also knead dough as part
of the bread making process. Then, the dough can be removed to let rise, etc.
As you knead dough many important
things take place: the gluten becomes developed so the bread can rise to its
fullest, air bubbles are incorporated into the dough necessary for the dough's
rise and the ingredients are redistributed for the
yeast
to feed on resulting in a more active
fermentation.
This enables the dough to expand to it fullest
during the rising
and baking
steps.
|
Don't Add Too Much Flour During Kneading:
It's one of the most common errors bakers make and will leave you
with a dry, flavorless and tough bread loaf. |
|
Q:
Why does my bread dough not look silky smooth after kneading?
A: You might not be kneading it enough.
It does take 8 - 10 minutes of constant kneading until it gets smooth. It
may seem like it's never going to get there, but hang in there! |
Gluten
begins to form as soon as flour is moistened and stirred.
Gluten in bread baking
 needs to be developed
to give the bread a strong structure that can withstand the strength of yeast
activity, sometimes over an hour or two. Gluten also acts like a net, catching
and holding the air bubbles developed in the dough. These bubbles are later
enlarged by the carbon dioxide, a by-product from the yeast, which causes the
baked good to rise.
HOW TO KNEAD
DOUGH: When
kneading by hand, do so on a clean, smooth surface that's at a comfortable
height. Ideally, you should be able to rest your palms on the surface a few
inches in front of you with your arms straight. If the surface is too high,
consider standing on a step.
A. Before kneading:
The dough should be a little tacky after
mixing the ingredients in the previous Step #2.
Grease a tall, deep bowl, larger than the
dough, to rise in afterwards. Set aside.
Prepare the kneading surface
by lightly flouring it with pinches of flour, instead of handfuls, only if
your dough is sticky. You may have to lightly replenish the flour during the
kneading process, but again, use very little; use pinches of flour, instead.
If the bread dough is dry, I find it's best to
knead the dough on a lightly greased surface. Spray the countertop with
vegetable oil. Repeat as you knead. The oil will correct the dry bread dough as
you knead. Do NOT add more water..
B. TO KNEAD:
I'm a big fan of hand
kneading because I think it does a better job. Use the stand mixer or
food processor to make the dough, but finish it with a good hand
kneading.
 | On the lightly floured
surface, flatten the dough slightly into a disk-shape. |
| Use the heels of your
hands to PUSH the dough away. |
| Pick up the edge
furthest away from you and FOLD it toward you, sliding the dough back
to its original spot on the counter.
|
| TURN the dough a
quarter-turn. |
| Vigorously repeat
"push, fold, and turn" steps. |
| Knead the dough for a
total of 5 - 7 minutes ( 5 minutes by dough hook) and review whether
you have kneaded the dough long enough. If
you need more time, a maximum of 8 - 10 minutes total is the best.
|
| You can also begin any
dough in your food processor, which speeds up the process. Turn it on
and let it run for 45 seconds until a ball forms on the side of the
blade. Remove the dough, feel the moisture in it, and knead a bit more
to make it smooth on the outside. |
|
|
C. Stop kneading
when the bread dough feels and looks
right. Pay close
attention to how the recipe describes the dough's final consistency. Most
bread dough should be:
| Coherent, soft and smooth, but not dry, or
a dough that holds together in a nice ball and feels like what I describe
as a "baby's bottom"! |
| Springs back when lightly pressed with two
fingers. |
| Stops sticking to your hands and work
surface. NOTE: Be aware that dough containing eggs, butter, or other moist
ingredients often stay sticky after being kneaded |
D. When kneading is
complete:
| Use both hands in an opposing position to
form the dough into a ball also known as "rounding". Dough rises best when
the top has been rounded and smoothed. The smoothness will come from
proper kneading, while the
roundness comes from rounding. A rough surface with breaks will allow the
gases to escape and not achieve the proper fermentation.
|
| So that the dough can rise properly, place
it seam-side down in the well-greased bowl.
|
| Spray the side of plastic wrap that will
eventually touch the dough, and tightly seal the bowl. For extra
insulation, you can cover the top of the bowl with a large, light kitchen
towel. If the dough isn't correctly covered during rising, it will develop
a dry surface which will give you are hard bread crust, will not
brown correctly and may even separate from the rest of the bread when
baked. |
| The dough is ready to go through its
First Rise, Step # 4.
|
After kneading, yeast
dough is ready for its first rising.
Or, it can also be frozen for up to four
weeks at this point before its
first rising,
shaping and the
second rising.
(Or, later after it is shaped).
To prepare the dough for freezing, place disk(s)
in an airtight plastic bag and freeze. For pieces, they will stick together if
all are placed in one bag. Instead, place them on a cookie sheet and freeze for
one hour or until hardened. Remove and then place all of them together in an
airtight bag.
For the best thaw, place it in the refrigerator
overnight. Partially unwrap and place it on the counter for fifteen to twenty
minutes to bring it to room temperature. If it has risen, leave it as it.
Proceed with the first rising,
shaping and the
second rising. Dough may also be moved
directly from the freezer to the counter for a shorter thawing time. However,
the edges will thaw faster than the center, so the dough will have to be worked
some as it thaws.
|
| |
The
importance of kneading is vastly under-estimated. It is a
necessary step in bread baking for both taste and texture. To
help you, included is an explanation of
