Kneading Yeast Dough
There is no a secret to kneading dough. But...
I've read that you can't over-knead yeast breads by hand. I don't know, but I guess you could if you tried. If you use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a food processor apparently you can in pretty short order. A bread machine is made to do it just right. But, here's the thing, kneading by hand is a cathartic experience. Once you get into the rhythm of it you can just let your troubles go and zone out. If you have arthritic hands or weak arms, shoulders or upper back kneading yeast breads becomes physical therapy. Whether you are making cinnamon rolls, sandwich bread or dinner rolls the process of kneading is the same and it takes about the same amount if time if you are making one loaf or fifty rolls.
I've read that you can't over-knead yeast breads by hand. I don't know, but I guess you could if you tried. If you use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a food processor apparently you can in pretty short order. A bread machine is made to do it just right. But, here's the thing, kneading by hand is a cathartic experience. Once you get into the rhythm of it you can just let your troubles go and zone out. If you have arthritic hands or weak arms, shoulders or upper back kneading yeast breads becomes physical therapy. Whether you are making cinnamon rolls, sandwich bread or dinner rolls the process of kneading is the same and it takes about the same amount if time if you are making one loaf or fifty rolls.
- Bread dough needs to be kneading about three hundred strokes when kneading a ball of dough to make two to four loaves of bread or rolls. You may want to take a ten minute break about half way through. Just cover the dough with a bowl or clean dish towel.
To get started you will have had to make your dough. Here are some bread dough recipes. Once that's done you're going to turn the dough out onto a clean counter or table top. You really need that surface to be between your hip joint and you hip bone. If the surface is too high or too low you will not be comfortable.
Kneading technique for regular dough:
Loaf breads, buns, cinnamon twists and rolls have a dough that is compared to the consistency of the earlobe.
Begin with the dough on a slightly floured surface. Using the flat part of the hand closest to your wrist (called the heel of your hand) push the dough away from you, flattening it out somewhat but not grinding it into the counter top. The hand makes a kind of rocking motion as you push away, from the center of the palm to the heel. Using the finger tips of the same hand, pull the edge of the dough farthest away from you back over into the middle of the flattened out "ball", folding it loosely in half. Use the other hand and repeat. Alternating hands, push and pull, folding the dough, counting as you go. The surface of the dough will stretch and "tear or break" at first and then fifty to seventy strokes in you will notice that the surface is stretching and not pulling apart. You are building elasticity into the dough, aligning the strands of gluten and lengthening them. As these strands of gluten develop they will form a matrix that will trap the gasses released by the yeasty beastys as the grow and multiply allowing the bread to rise.
Kneading technique for wet dough:
Focaccia, ciabatta, fougasse are wet dough's and quite sticky. Kneading wet dough is like trying to corral kittens.
But unlike kittens we will start with wet hands and keep wetting them as the dough starts to stick. Lift the edge away from you and bring it over the center of the lump of dough and press in down, lift up one side of the dough and press it into the center and follow with the other side. You will do this for seven to eight minutes.
A fairly new idea of handling wet dough is to put into a greased bowl once its mixed up and using a pliable bench scraper, fold the outer edges of the dough into the center working around the bowl for four folds and then let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat three more times and after the forth time prepare the dough for baking.
Kneading technique for regular dough:
Loaf breads, buns, cinnamon twists and rolls have a dough that is compared to the consistency of the earlobe.
Begin with the dough on a slightly floured surface. Using the flat part of the hand closest to your wrist (called the heel of your hand) push the dough away from you, flattening it out somewhat but not grinding it into the counter top. The hand makes a kind of rocking motion as you push away, from the center of the palm to the heel. Using the finger tips of the same hand, pull the edge of the dough farthest away from you back over into the middle of the flattened out "ball", folding it loosely in half. Use the other hand and repeat. Alternating hands, push and pull, folding the dough, counting as you go. The surface of the dough will stretch and "tear or break" at first and then fifty to seventy strokes in you will notice that the surface is stretching and not pulling apart. You are building elasticity into the dough, aligning the strands of gluten and lengthening them. As these strands of gluten develop they will form a matrix that will trap the gasses released by the yeasty beastys as the grow and multiply allowing the bread to rise.
Kneading technique for wet dough:
Focaccia, ciabatta, fougasse are wet dough's and quite sticky. Kneading wet dough is like trying to corral kittens.
But unlike kittens we will start with wet hands and keep wetting them as the dough starts to stick. Lift the edge away from you and bring it over the center of the lump of dough and press in down, lift up one side of the dough and press it into the center and follow with the other side. You will do this for seven to eight minutes.
A fairly new idea of handling wet dough is to put into a greased bowl once its mixed up and using a pliable bench scraper, fold the outer edges of the dough into the center working around the bowl for four folds and then let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat three more times and after the forth time prepare the dough for baking.
King Arthur Flour's website has a very good blog entry on working with wet dough with concise text and fantastic pictures. Check it out! Kneading wet dough by hand - King Arthur Flour Blog