Get your hands dirty: how to knead the perfect bread

The practice of kneading bread dough dates back thousands of years and is a step that cannot be overlooked by bakers. And while mixing dough ingredients sets the stage for the bread-making process, the art of kneading provides both strength and structure to the dough.

Wheat flour contains two proteins—gliadin and glutenin—which combine to form gluten. When bread dough is first mixed together, the proteins are mangled and knotted in no particular order. But as the dough is kneaded, the proteins line up to form giant chains of amino acids, creating a matrix within the dough itself. It's this matrix that allows the dough to trap gas released by the yeast or other leavening agents, resulting in the rise.

Kneading dough can be a good workout (if you look at it that way) or you can enlist your trusty mixer to do it for you. Either way, kneading is a science and the tactics involved are specific for a delectable crust and crumb (the bread's interior).

By Hand

Kneading dough by hand is the easiest way to control the bread's consistency. While there are several techniques to hand kneading, all of them involve folding and stretching the dough repeatedly.

Kneading a basic bread dough by hand takes about 10 minutes to form adequate gluten. Slowly adding flour to the dough as it is kneaded prevents sticking—but don't add too much. An excess of flour can create a stiff, dry dough. A perfectly kneaded dough springs back when poked with your finger and will feel soft and silky in texture.

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