September 16, 2009 - 2:49pm
kneading
having tried hand kneading and the bread has not worked out (long time ago now) I have read to be heavy handed with it some say be soft with it all my recipes says knead for at least 5mins will give it another go today but what are the tried and true methods please at the moment I am using my machine to knead and finishing in the oven thanking you in advance
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Hi, allthingsread.
Here's a great video by Mark Sinclair of The Back Home Bakery which may be helpful.
The background music is great, too.
Also, a TFL search using the terms "folding" or "stretch and fold" will turn up tons of helpful hints.
Hi thanks for that watched it but didn't say for how long (another question I should have asked) still looking will have to actually get in and knead some but am really reluctant as I don't want to waste the ingredients but thanks for that
Heavy or light handed really doesn't matter for most doughs. There are many different techniques, and they all work in most cases.
What matters is that you knead to a proper level of gluten development (if you're kneading, rather than stretch and fold or a no knead technique).
When you tried kneading long ago you probably did not understand what properly kneaded dough felt like. That's the key. Now, you have experience and you know. So try the same recipes you use in the machine and knead until it feels "right". It may take 5 minutes, it may take 15 or 20. The kneading is done when it is done. Keep kneading until the dough feels like it does when you take it out of the machine.
Knead any way that feels right to you with your hands. Eventually you will develop your own feel for the kneading and how hard or soft to do it. You will find your own rhythm. Trust your hands and you will not be wasting the ingredients. You will be making great bread.
thankyou for that
i have bought a kitchen machine, so have become very lazy and haven't got back to hand kneading
but I know I should
what you said about comparing it to the dough from my machine I understand that
thankyou