Most bread recipes have you add the dissolved yeast and water to the flour and mix together, which I call the Traditional Bread Dough Mixing Method. At the end of mixing, you find out that your dough is too dry or too wet. So, you naturally add in more flour or water to correct the dough to the right consistency.

The amount of flour (water) used in a bread recipe is always variable; that's because flour absorbs different amounts of water depending on where and when it was grown, its protein content and lastly, the weather. I have found that most baker's have trouble knowing how much flour or water to add or not add in advance? You don't because it's hard to predict. (Only the flour knows for sure!).

When making any recipe using wheat flour that is mixed and/or kneaded with water or other moisture containing ingredients, gluten is created. The right amount is necessary in a bread recipe because it serves many functions, but once you start mixing the dough over and over again to add in ingredients and correct it, it's easy to overwork the dough and create too much. This leads to a dry and flavorless loaf that doesn't rise very much when baked. Sounds familiar, huh!? 

THE FOOLPROOF WAY TO MIX BREAD DOUGH:

To avoid overmixing the dough, I recommend adding the pre-measured flour to the water and dissolved yeast, rather than the other way around as stated in most recipes. You will stop adding flour when the dough has reached the right consistency.

What does that mean? 

Learning how to mix the dough so you get its "right consistency" is the most important aspect of bread baking that can mean success or failure. For example, the objective in mixing MODERATELY STIFF DOUGH is to end up with dough that is tacky, not sticky or wet. It should also be pliable, soft and moist. By sticky, dough will stick to your finger as you pull it from the dough and some may stick to your finger. If that happens, the dough is too wet. By tacky, I mean when you touch the dough, it feels like the glue on the back of a "Post-it-Note" - your finger will stick to the dough when you pull it away, but it will come off easily and not take dough with it. When the dough is kneaded, it should remain the "right consistency". Sometimes additional flour is added to correct the dough; even though you may have mixed it correctly, as you knead it and incorporate more of the flour, and the flour hydrates more from the water or liquid in the recipe as you develop the gluten, you may find you need to add more flour so it remains "tacky".

Part 1:  ADD IN OTHER LIQUID INGREDIENTS TO THE DISSOLVED YEAST, if applicable...

In a large mixing bowl, blend the dry ingredients together, such as flour and optionally the sugar and NOT the salt, unless the recipe tells you otherwise. If using Instant Active Dry Yeast, add directly to the dry ingredients and combine. Set aside. 

Dissolve the yeast and use right away in the recipe, Part 2.

Some recipes have you add in milk, eggs, melted butter and so on to the dissolved yeast. The important thing to remember is that the eggs should be at room temperature. The scalded milk or melted butter should be cooled to tepid. It means 100 to 105 degrees F, which feels moderately warm or lukewarm. You don't want to shock the yeast by adding cold ingredients; yeast thrives where there is warmth, food and moisture.

Part 2: ADD IN THE DRY INGREDIENTS TO THE DISSOLVED YEAST/LIQUID INGREDIENTS:  

Dough can be mixed by hand (UGH !) with a wooden spoon and a very large bowl, with an electric stand mixer (a hand-held does not have enough power), a food processor or bread machine !! 

1.  Add 1 cup of the flour and dry ingredients pre-blended in Step #1 to the yeast mixture, and combine.

2.  Continue to add in the flour/dry ingredients 1 cup or a handful at a time and mix each addition until it is well incorporated. 

3.  As you add flour, the batter will get thicker and thicker and can be mixed in a wide, sweeping motion. Stirring the flour into the yeast/water mixture in this step will start to create gluten. 

4.  Add the flour 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup at a time thoroughly blending it after each addition before deciding to add more. When the dough starts to become smooth, add in flour 1 tablespoon at a time. 

5.  STOP ADDING IN FLOUR:

When the dough will starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be a little sticky, as well as smooth and elastic. In total, you may end up adding in more or less flour than called for in the recipe; it's ok. 

With rye you have to be more alert because of its water binding capacity. As a result, it will have a 'stickier' feeling and it's tempting to add additional flour. Don't because this would make it dense and flavorless. 

6. Quickly form the dough into a ball. It is then time to knead in Step #3, Next Page.

P.S.  Other Ways to Mix:

Using a stand mixer: In the mixer bowl, proof or dissolve the yeast in warm water or liquid. 

Then, attach the flat paddle attachment, turn on the mixer to medium-low and mix in about half of the flour/dry ingredients, a handful at a time.  

Then, switch to a doughhook for the rest of the mixing. I have seen others use it from the beginning, but doing that will cause excessive stretching of the dough which will toughen the gluten too much. Add the remaining flour, a 1/2-cup at a time, and mix thoroughly after each. Kitchenaid company advises against exceeding speed 2 when kneading dough with the mixer.

When the dough starts to become smooth, add the flour in, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough becomes smooth and elastic -- you may not need all or you may need more than the recipe calls for depending on how fast the flour absorbs moisture because of its protein level. Don't be alarmed if a recipe calls for 5 cups flour and you use 7 cups!

Keep mixing on low for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, as well as slightly sticky. You should not have any dough sticking to the bowl, especially at the bottom center of the bowl. 

If you see a small glob of dough at the bottom, your dough is too wet or the mixer didn't pick it up (KitchenAid attachments do not reach to the bottom of the mixing bowl). With a rubber spatula, scrape the pieces left on the bottom and set them aside temporarily. Resume mixing and add the scraps to the bowl to incorporate them -- scraps usually contain a lot of flour. Afterwards, stop the mixer and see if you need more flour. If you do, add 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix after each addition until the dough is just right.  

When ready, let the dough rest, covered, for 5 minutes in its bowl. It is now ready to be kneaded. 

HOW MUCH FLOUR DID I NEED TO MAKE MY BREAD RECIPE? If you've ever made homemade bread, you'll occasionally find that you end up needing more or less flour than called for in the recipe. It's ok and is typical. WHY ?

ANSWER: Higher-protein flour, such as bread flour absorbs more moisture than a lower protein flour, such as all-purpose and cake flours. Baker's have blamed the difference in absorption on humidity which only makes a minute difference. 

This means that a flour's protein level directly affects the ratio of wet ingredients to dry. For example, a batter made with 2 cups of high-protein flour needs 1 cup of water to form a soft, sticky dough. The same recipe made with 2 cups low-protein flour and 1 cup water make a thick soup. It takes 1/2-cup more low-protein flour to get the same consistency as the high-protein flour. When recipes are written, one type of flour in used and the person baking it uses another. That's because they probably live in different areas of the country or their flour brand is milled in different places. (from Shirley Corriher).

Rye flour absorbs considerably more water than wheat flour, darker rye flours absorb more water than lighter rye flours, and if making pan type rye bread, more water is used than for hearth type bread.