Earlier today we gave you a good look at how to make bread dough. Now let's talk about how to knead it! A tutorial on kneading bread dough was actually one thing that several of you asked for this month, so here's a thorough look at how we knead some doughs.
What You Need
Ingredients
Bread dough, after it has been mixed together but before it has risen at all
Flour
Equipment
Clean, stable surface
Bench scraper
Instructions
1. Sprinkle a clean, stable surface with flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto this surface, scraping the bowl and your fingers clean of sticky strands of dough.
2. Push the dough down and out, stretching it flat in front of you with the heels of your hands. The goal is to lengthen and stretch the gluten strands in the dough.
3. Fold the top half of the dough back towards you, and press down. Then press out again, stretching and lengthening the fibers and gluten strands.
4. Sprinkle the dough with flour to help it decrease in stickiness. Try not to use too much, but also don't be shy about it if the dough is sticking to everything. You can also stop and let the dough rest for about 5 minutes. This gives the flour time to absorb the water, which will make the dough easier to work with.
5. About halfway through the dough will feel much less sticky, and much smoother. Around this point you will probably not need to add any more flour.
6. Continue kneading (total time will be between 10 and 15 minutes) until the dough is smooth, supple, and silky. Near the end, do the windowpane test to see if the dough's gluten has been developed enough.
Everyone has their own style when kneading bread! Do you knead your bread like this? Or do you use another method?
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Thank you! I started making my own bread occasionally last fall, but couldn't find any decent instructions on *how* to knead. I've been making it up, turning out decent but not stellar loaves. I'll have to give it a shot again!
I recall reading in an old edition of the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book that most people have a really hard time kneading for 10 minutes, and underestimate the time. She suggested actually counting 1000 "kneads!" I know that I often have to take a break (or two).
www.vegrun.blogspot.com
For very wet doughs, try this (scroll down to see the video).
I have been making no knead bread the Mark Bittman of the NY Times way for quit awhile and have experimented doing different variations. This is so simple to make-
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/dining/06mini.html?_r=3&ref=dining&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Using this recipe and method I have made some variations- at different times:
One-
I have found great success in substituting some of the white flour with semolina flour (really good with sesame seeds on top), and also substituting about 1/2 cup of flour with 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, (preferring King Arthur).
You can also add Sesame seeds they work very well in place of corn meal in the final step before baking.
I increase the recipe by 25% (4 cups flour, 17 oz water, etc), which seems to fit in the large dutch oven better.
I use a my Le Creuset dutch oven, but I replaced the plastic handle for a stainless steel because of the high heat or you made need to cover it with foil, changing out the handle was easy.
Two-
Another variation- to the mark bittman way
Is a raisin pecan bread with the following: 2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 C. raisins
1/2 C. toasted chopped pecans
1 5/8 C. tepid water
I mix all of this together at the initial step. Also, when I uncover the bread after 30 minutes, I brush the top with 1 Tb. melted butter. Delicious!!
i might borrow this recipe above and attempt to make my OWN bread...that'll be a first not in the bread maker ;)
i also wanted to highlight a great baking themed giveaway i'm doing on my site...an adorable Freshy Fig sterling necklace:
http://www.casacullen.com/2010/02/casacullen-contest-win-an-adorable-freshy-fig-sterling-baking-necklace.html
just comment to WIN :) have a great day!
I need to build up my bread making skills...but I do the Mark B. way too and it always turns out a fantastic beautiful rustic loaf. I've added wheat flour, cheese, onion powder, herbs and have always had a great loaf come out. If you're new to making bread and want to try new flavours I suggest only changing one or two things at a time (be a scientist!) so if something goes wrong you know what it might be. As you get to know your bread you can get even more creative :)
And for the Mark B. bread I've used a large dutch oven but I have also used a hard anodized pot with a lid (the one I use to boil large quantities of noodles) and it turned out just as well as the loaf done in the dutch oven.
I have been making my own pizza dough for a while now, trying out all sorts of methods to get the best crust. My dough is always really heavy and thick and I've been trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. After watching this video, I made pizza dough again last night and kneaded using this method. My dough was incredibly light and baked up so wonderfully!
Apparently I'd been kneading the wrong way all this time. I used to focus on pushing straight down on the dough rather than trying to stretch it to develop the strands of gluten. Thanks so much for the informative and very useful video!