Added 15 minutes of kneading and I’m never going back
I know a lot of folks don’t knead their sourdough but I think it really helps. Does anyone else knead?
by Tim_Riggins_
24 Comments
ADystopianDream
Do you replace stretch and folds with kneading?
boof_and_deal
What hydration are you using?
I personally find kneading to be more useful as an ingredient mixing technique than a gluten development technique, particularly for stiffer doughs.
Like for 40% pasta dough kneading is pretty essential to get everything mixed. For a 80% bread dough I don’t see much benefit in kneading vs stretch and folds.
Impressive-Leave-574
I’ve started to knead more and more during stretch and fold. It has helped my with a better crumb.
hirambwellbelow
Is kneading needed? It seems it works so I’m going to try next time. My bread hasn’t been very successful as the middle tends to be a bit doughy. I don’t really know why that is but kneading is worth a shot.
HeeBeeGeeBeee
Amazing ear!
Did you score around the base of the dough?
lancegreene
Yep!!! Once I started kneading for at least 10 minutes was the game changer. I don’t do the window pane test but I get good results. Maybe time to add a couple more minutes
Nlckzord
Great ear!!
Did you knead the dough manually or using a mixer?
JasonZep
So kneading right after autolyse?
drnullpointer
It might be that kneading helped *your* process for example because it made the dough more homogenous. This might be due to how you mix the dough.
But kneading bread is not at all necessary. Personally, I try to be as efficient with my recipes as possible. I already do enough cooking at home and if I want to have fresh bread every day I need to be efficient with the process.
To get perfectly homogenous dough without kneading, you can whisk the water, salt and starter together before adding flour. If you use multiple different flours, mix them while dry before adding to wet ingredients. Then you dump all flour into the liquid and need to make sure all of it is thoroughly wet. Afterwards, you just need about 3-5 stretch and folds to get perfect results.
In total, It takes me about 2-3 minutes to mix ingredients and I handle the dough another about 3-4 minutes which includes all stretch and fold sessions as well as forming the boule, putting it in banneton and then taking it out of banneton on the paper to be baked.
The total time I spend on making bread is less than 10 minutes if you don’t count suddenly remembering to go to the kitchen to check how is the dough doing.
Individual_Low_9204
I slap and fold and I LOVE IT
petewondrstone
When did u kneed?
petewondrstone
Also. Crumb???
Defiant_Antelope4770
That loaf is gorgeous
immhoffman
I did by mistake with the first loaf and it pushed all the air out of the dough and the bread was too tough to eat.
immhoffman
What kind of flour are you using? I used 1/2 Pillsbury Bread flour and 1/2 King Arthur High Gluten flour and no kneading and my loaf turned out like yours did in this picture with a good leaf.
poikkeus3
Good info. I’m been lax with really working the gluten to make a smoother bread, but it really makes a difference!
MochiPops_94
What did the inside look like? I haven’t started sourdough myself as I’m trying to learn as much as I can first and im interested to see if this is something I should consider when I do start
BGritty81
Ear for days
kerrylou100
I’ve been doing 10 minutes in my stand mixer with dough hook (kneading) to start, then two sets of stretch and folds – turns out consistently good!
im_always
if after some stretch and folds you get a good window pane (gluten development) why is kneading needed?
bananna107
What specifically is better with the kneading? Crumb? Rise? Ear? Thank you!!
foxfire1112
I do not, but I started doing a stretch and fold x2 with 15m wait after each followed by a lamination fold. It’s been way stronger now
24 Comments
Do you replace stretch and folds with kneading?
What hydration are you using?
I personally find kneading to be more useful as an ingredient mixing technique than a gluten development technique, particularly for stiffer doughs.
Like for 40% pasta dough kneading is pretty essential to get everything mixed. For a 80% bread dough I don’t see much benefit in kneading vs stretch and folds.
I’ve started to knead more and more during stretch and fold. It has helped my with a better crumb.
Is kneading needed? It seems it works so I’m going to try next time. My bread hasn’t been very successful as the middle tends to be a bit doughy. I don’t really know why that is but kneading is worth a shot.
Amazing ear!
Did you score around the base of the dough?
Yep!!! Once I started kneading for at least 10 minutes was the game changer. I don’t do the window pane test but I get good results. Maybe time to add a couple more minutes
Great ear!!
Did you knead the dough manually or using a mixer?
So kneading right after autolyse?
It might be that kneading helped *your* process for example because it made the dough more homogenous. This might be due to how you mix the dough.
But kneading bread is not at all necessary. Personally, I try to be as efficient with my recipes as possible. I already do enough cooking at home and if I want to have fresh bread every day I need to be efficient with the process.
To get perfectly homogenous dough without kneading, you can whisk the water, salt and starter together before adding flour. If you use multiple different flours, mix them while dry before adding to wet ingredients. Then you dump all flour into the liquid and need to make sure all of it is thoroughly wet. Afterwards, you just need about 3-5 stretch and folds to get perfect results.
In total, It takes me about 2-3 minutes to mix ingredients and I handle the dough another about 3-4 minutes which includes all stretch and fold sessions as well as forming the boule, putting it in banneton and then taking it out of banneton on the paper to be baked.
The total time I spend on making bread is less than 10 minutes if you don’t count suddenly remembering to go to the kitchen to check how is the dough doing.
I slap and fold and I LOVE IT
When did u kneed?
Also. Crumb???
That loaf is gorgeous
I did by mistake with the first loaf and it pushed all the air out of the dough and the bread was too tough to eat.
What kind of flour are you using? I used 1/2 Pillsbury Bread flour and 1/2 King Arthur High Gluten flour and no kneading and my loaf turned out like yours did in this picture with a good leaf.
Good info. I’m been lax with really working the gluten to make a smoother bread, but it really makes a difference!
What did the inside look like? I haven’t started sourdough myself as I’m trying to learn as much as I can first and im interested to see if this is something I should consider when I do start
Ear for days
I’ve been doing 10 minutes in my stand mixer with dough hook (kneading) to start, then two sets of stretch and folds – turns out consistently good!
if after some stretch and folds you get a good window pane (gluten development) why is kneading needed?
What specifically is better with the kneading? Crumb? Rise? Ear? Thank you!!
I do not, but I started doing a stretch and fold x2 with 15m wait after each followed by a lamination fold. It’s been way stronger now
That’s a beautiful loaf
I can never get an ear to lift like that