Comments on: Making Bread: Kneading The Dough http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/ About finding balance in your life, connecting with who you are, and creating a lifestyle where you wake up each morning eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Birdi http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-34065 Birdi http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-34065 I have kneaded bread in a large stainless steel bowl for years. I prefer it. To maybe explain your damp cloth...Being a commercial baker for years...I had the priviledge of using a proofer. A large warming cabinet set to the right temp and would hold many trays of yeast products. It had a tray of water in the bottom to provide moisture which made the dough rise better. I use the damp cloth when I set my bread to raise also. Just a bit of not so useless knowledge. :) I have kneaded bread in a large stainless steel bowl for years. I prefer it. To maybe explain your damp cloth…Being a commercial baker for years…I had the priviledge of using a proofer. A large warming cabinet set to the right temp and would hold many trays of yeast products. It had a tray of water in the bottom to provide moisture which made the dough rise better. I use the damp cloth when I set my bread to raise also. Just a bit of not so useless knowledge. :)

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-9118 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-9118 Kim, marble or granite would be great, but there are much less expensive boards you could buy too. I have a very large board that is made of smooth glass on one side and textured glass on the other, with corners that keep the board from moving. This board is really a cutting board, I think, but the smooth surface is a wonderful kneading surface, and it washes up quickly. I know some people do knead right on the countertop, but I prefer a board of some sort. Kim, marble or granite would be great, but there are much less expensive boards you could buy too. I have a very large board that is made of smooth glass on one side and textured glass on the other, with corners that keep the board from moving. This board is really a cutting board, I think, but the smooth surface is a wonderful kneading surface, and it washes up quickly. I know some people do knead right on the countertop, but I prefer a board of some sort.

]]> By: Kim http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-9092 Kim http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-9092 On what kind of surface do you kneed? I tried it on my laminate countertop, and it seems like that would be really dirty. I used to have an unfinished wooden cutting board, but that too didn't work. The dough got caught on little nicks in the wood. Is it worth it to get some kind of marble/granite board? On what kind of surface do you kneed? I tried it on my laminate countertop, and it seems like that would be really dirty. I used to have an unfinished wooden cutting board, but that too didn’t work. The dough got caught on little nicks in the wood. Is it worth it to get some kind of marble/granite board?

]]> By: Sean http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-6184 Sean http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-6184 Hello, have you ever tried a no-knead bread? This works great. I bake it in a cast Iron dutch oven. It comes out fantastic. Hello, have you ever tried a no-knead bread? This works great. I bake it in a cast Iron dutch oven. It comes out fantastic.

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-2558 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-2558 Natalie... Most doughs need to be kneaded by hand for at least ten minutes. The dough will tell you when it has been kneaded enough. Look for small bubbles forming under the surface of the dough and a dough that is soft and elastic and feels "alive." Usually this happens after about ten minutes of kneading. Natalie… Most doughs need to be kneaded by hand for at least ten minutes. The dough will tell you when it has been kneaded enough. Look for small bubbles forming under the surface of the dough and a dough that is soft and elastic and feels “alive.” Usually this happens after about ten minutes of kneading.

]]> By: Natalie http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-2556 Natalie http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-2556 Hi Shirley, I've been using a stand mixer with a dough hook for kneading. I'm passing on a recipe to a friend that doesn't have a stand mixer for kneading. What would be the equivalent with a 3-min. machine kneading for hand kneading? Hi Shirley, I’ve been using a stand mixer with a dough hook for kneading. I’m passing on a recipe to a friend that doesn’t have a stand mixer for kneading. What would be the equivalent with a 3-min. machine kneading for hand kneading?

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1106 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1106 Susan, I agree, bread machines do a fantastic job of kneading bread. However, the oatmeal bread recipe I've been making makes three loaves of bread at a time, and it's too much dough for my bread machine to handle. Also, I really do enjoy kneading and the whole process of making bread "by hand," but the bread machine is a great alternative for a smaller recipe. Susan, I agree, bread machines do a fantastic job of kneading bread. However, the oatmeal bread recipe I’ve been making makes three loaves of bread at a time, and it’s too much dough for my bread machine to handle. Also, I really do enjoy kneading and the whole process of making bread “by hand,” but the bread machine is a great alternative for a smaller recipe.

]]> By: Susan http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1105 Susan http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1105 Good description - Thanks. However, I have discovered an EASY and QUICK alternative to manual kneading. The "dough" function found on most bread machines (even the $40 cheap model gifted to me) works wonderfully to knead most any bread. You do need to keep a close eye on it the first time you try the recipe, but I use this regularly for everything from whole wheat to sweet breads. I typically don't leave the bread in the machine the entire time but quit the cycle early and finish the raising in my bread bowl. I adapt the recipe by putting all of the liquid ingredients in first, then adding the dry with the yeast last (just like written in the bread machine recipes). I'm an Occupational Therapist who works with joint injuries of the hands and upper extremities and kneading dough can be really tough on the body. I would encourage using the knuckles (as if you are "punching" the bread) with the wrist straight to protect the finger joints (arthritis) and wrists (carpal tunnel). Good description – Thanks. However, I have discovered an EASY and QUICK alternative to manual kneading. The “dough” function found on most bread machines (even the $40 cheap model gifted to me) works wonderfully to knead most any bread. You do need to keep a close eye on it the first time you try the recipe, but I use this regularly for everything from whole wheat to sweet breads. I typically don’t leave the bread in the machine the entire time but quit the cycle early and finish the raising in my bread bowl. I adapt the recipe by putting all of the liquid ingredients in first, then adding the dry with the yeast last (just like written in the bread machine recipes).

I’m an Occupational Therapist who works with joint injuries of the hands and upper extremities and kneading dough can be really tough on the body. I would encourage using the knuckles (as if you are “punching” the bread) with the wrist straight to protect the finger joints (arthritis) and wrists (carpal tunnel).

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1101 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1101 The damp (not wet, just slightly moist) cloth provides the perfect environment for the dough to rise, and of course it keeps the top of the dough from drying out. The plastic wrap that so many people use nowadays does the same thing, except the damp cloth doesn't stick to the dough when the dough rises up to touch it like it does to plastic wrap. I have noticed that many of the older bread recipes mention using a damp cloth. I have never really thought about the why... it's just something I have always done. The damp (not wet, just slightly moist) cloth provides the perfect environment for the dough to rise, and of course it keeps the top of the dough from drying out. The plastic wrap that so many people use nowadays does the same thing, except the damp cloth doesn’t stick to the dough when the dough rises up to touch it like it does to plastic wrap. I have noticed that many of the older bread recipes mention using a damp cloth. I have never really thought about the why… it’s just something I have always done.

]]> By: BarbaraLee Malikowski http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1094 BarbaraLee Malikowski http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/making-bread-kneading-the-dough/#comment-1094 Nice tip on the bread fall apart when slicing. But why cover the bowl w/a damp cloth when rising? Never heard that one before. Nice tip on the bread fall apart when slicing. But why cover the bowl w/a damp cloth when rising? Never heard that one before.

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