Baking Basics 101: Kneading

Its... so its time for a Baking Basics 101. This week its the method of kneading.

Kneading is a process most commonly associated with bread making. Kneading is process of stretching and, sometimes, punching the dough. Why is this done? Flour, especially bread flour, has gluten in it. The dough needs to be stretched to create an elastic dough, which is what you need to create air pockets in the bread.  This results in a light and fluffy loaf. If the dough isn't kneaded enough, the end result will be a heavy loaf of bread. No one wants that.   

Another term that you may come across is, 'knocking back'. The term that bread makers use to literarily, knock the air of the bread before the proving process. Basically kneading it again.

Why do this? By kneading the dough for a second time, it creates an even texture throughout the bread and removes the big air bubbles.

So once your bread has been left to risen
Ingredients:

• Bread dough
• A little flour for dusting the sides

Equipment:

•  Your clean hands

1. Using floured hands, scrape the risen dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.

2.The process of kneading is stretching the dough, pressing it against the surface and folding it in on
 itself.

3. Knead the dough roughly for a few minutes until it looks well rounded and not as wet. It should be
soft, smooth and elastic. This is the stage when you let the bread prove until the dough has risen.

4.Knead the bread one more time and let the dough prove for the second time.

5. The dough should be ready to bake.

Recipe that use this technique:

Traditional Doughnuts

Fougasse and Bread Sticks
Fennel and Thyme Bread
Basic White Bread
Foccacia
Soda Bread

If there's a method you'd like to learn and want me to write about, please comment below or let me know on facebook or twitter with the hashtag #bakingbasics101