Apart from eating it, kneading bread dough is the most enjoyable part of making bread! It can sound like a daunting task with many methods out there -including no-knead recipes. It can make you wonder why knead bread anyway? Here is a quick guide on how to knead dough for beginners, so you can get started without needing to be a bread expert. It’s so simple, it just takes a mixing bowl, your hands and about 10-15 minutes, so what are you waiting for?
Let the dough relax on the table for 1 minute. Then break off a small piece, and play with it in your fingertips. If it feels gassy and strong, it’s ready. If not, continue kneading for a few more minutes. Another way of testing is to use the windowpane test.
If you feel your dough is not ready and requires more kneading, place your dough in the bowl, cover and pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes. This will allow your arms to have a rest whilst the dough will continue to mature whilst it cools down. Once the times up, return to the workbench and continue kneading intensively, as in step 7.
Hi, I’m Gareth Busby, a baker, bread baking coach and college lecturer. My goal is to help you to make better bread and learn about the baking industry.
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