News Archive
Kneading
Kneading is essential to create an easy-to-work and elastic dough that expands.
The kneading process stretches out the gluten threads to form a strong network. Gas bubbles, which are formed when dough rises, are encapsulated by the gluten network and will cause the bread to rise.
Dough is usually kneaded on two occasions: before the first fermentation, and a lighter kneading after the first fermentation.
First kneading
Once the dough is mixed in the bowl, knead it thoroughly. This will transform the dough from sticky to smooth and pliable. Kneaded dough will release from the edges of the bowl.
Do the windowpane test to see if the dough is sufficiently kneaded.
After kneading, the dough should mature in the bowl during the first fermentation (rest time).
Second kneading
After the dough has risen in the bowl, turn it upside down on a floured baking sheet and knead it by hand. Use a minimum amount of flour, just enough to prevent the dough from sticking. Avoid adding too much flour to the dough, as this could make the bread dry. Shape the bread, and place in the desired shape or on a plate.
Now the shaped bread should rise again (bedtime).
During processing
If the dough is kneaded too little, it will not rise properly , and the bread will be flat and coarse-pored.
Reprocessing
If the dough is kneaded too long, the gluten threads can easily break, resulting in a crumbly bread.
Kneading in Ankarsrum
Add dough liquid first, even if you use dry yeast. Stir dry yeast according to the instructions on the package, and be sure to mix the dry yeast with flour before adding it.
The dough knife should always be used, regardless of whether you choose the dough hook or the dough roller. The dough knife helps bring dough towards the middle of the bowl where it is processed by the roller or hook. The dough knife has a fixed position, but it can be adjusted manually during kneading.
Kneading with the dough roller
Use the dough roller for kneading smaller doughs, bun doughs or doughs with butter. The dough roller can also be used when you make larger cakes or pie doughs.
The arm where you attach the dough roller is movable, and it can be locked in a desirable position based on the dough being kneaded. Add dough liquid first and then yeast, set the Assistant on low speed, and pull the arm towards you a couple of times to make sure the yeast has dissolved properly. Then add the flour together with any seasoning.
For example, if you are baking buns, you should add soft butter in small pieces for best results, only after other ingredients have been mixed.
Work at low speed, and when you see that the dough starts to move up along the inside of the bowl, lock the dough roller ¾” to 2” (2-5 cm) from the edge. Locking the arm gives the dough space to knead without being pressed out of the bowl. You may need to adjust the roller several times during kneading, and also move the dough knife inwards and outwards to scrape dough from the edge.
Set the timer to 8-10 minutes, and let the Assistent knead the dough. You will notice that after a while the dough, even if it seems sticky, gradually comes together into a smooth dough.
Wait to add any salt until the last minutes of kneading. The salt helps preserve already formed gluten threads, but it can inhibit their formation if it is added before kneading.
Kneading with the dough hook
The dough hook is designed for kneading large and heavy doughs.
Attach the dough knife and the hook, without locking the arm.
Add dough liquid first and then yeast, set the Assistant on low speed, and pull the arm towards you a couple of times to make sure that the yeast has dissolved properly. Then add flour and any seasoning.
Unlike the dough roller, which mainly hugs the dough, the dough hook extends it.
When flour is added, center the dough hook and lock it in that position. You may need to adjust the position of the dough hook during kneading, and also move the dough knife inwards and outwards to scrape the dough from the edge.
Wait to add any salt until the end of kneading. The salt helps preserve already formed gluten threads, but it can inhibit their formation if it is added before kneading.
If you make a dough with 1½ liters (about 6 cups) or more of dough liquid, you should divide the dough in half and leave it in two separate bowls for fermentation.
Kneading is essential to create an easy-to-work and elastic dough that expands.
The kneading process stretches out the gluten threads to form a strong network. Gas bubbles, which are formed when dough rises, are encapsulated by the gluten network and will cause the bread to rise.
Dough is usually kneaded on two occasions: before the first fermentation, and a lighter kneading after the first fermentation.
First kneading
Once the dough is mixed in the bowl, knead it thoroughly. This will transform the dough from sticky to smooth and pliable. Kneaded dough will release from the edges of the bowl.
Do the windowpane test to see if the dough is sufficiently kneaded.
After kneading, the dough should mature in the bowl during the first fermentation (rest time).
Second kneading
After the dough has risen in the bowl, turn it upside down on a floured baking sheet and knead it by hand. Use a minimum amount of flour, just enough to prevent the dough from sticking. Avoid adding too much flour to the dough, as this could make the bread dry. Shape the bread, and place in the desired shape or on a plate.
Now the shaped bread should rise again (bedtime).
During processing
If the dough is kneaded too little, it will not rise properly , and the bread will be flat and coarse-pored.
Reprocessing
If the dough is kneaded too long, the gluten threads can easily break, resulting in a crumbly bread.
Kneading in Ankarsrum
Add dough liquid first, even if you use dry yeast. Stir dry yeast according to the instructions on the package, and be sure to mix the dry yeast with flour before adding it.
The dough knife should always be used, regardless of whether you choose the dough hook or the dough roller. The dough knife helps bring dough towards the middle of the bowl where it is processed by the roller or hook. The dough knife has a fixed position, but it can be adjusted manually during kneading.
Kneading with the dough roller
Use the dough roller for kneading smaller doughs, bun doughs or doughs with butter. The dough roller can also be used when you make larger cakes or pie doughs.
The arm where you attach the dough roller is movable, and it can be locked in a desirable position based on the dough being kneaded. Add dough liquid first and then yeast, set the Assistant on low speed, and pull the arm towards you a couple of times to make sure the yeast has dissolved properly. Then add the flour together with any seasoning.
For example, if you are baking buns, you should add soft butter in small pieces for best results, only after other ingredients have been mixed.
Work at low speed, and when you see that the dough starts to move up along the inside of the bowl, lock the dough roller ¾” to 2” (2-5 cm) from the edge. Locking the arm gives the dough space to knead without being pressed out of the bowl. You may need to adjust the roller several times during kneading, and also move the dough knife inwards and outwards to scrape dough from the edge.
Set the timer to 8-10 minutes, and let the Assistent knead the dough. You will notice that after a while the dough, even if it seems sticky, gradually comes together into a smooth dough.
Wait to add any salt until the last minutes of kneading. The salt helps preserve already formed gluten threads, but it can inhibit their formation if it is added before kneading.
Kneading with the dough hook
The dough hook is designed for kneading large and heavy doughs.
Attach the dough knife and the hook, without locking the arm.
Add dough liquid first and then yeast, set the Assistant on low speed, and pull the arm towards you a couple of times to make sure that the yeast has dissolved properly. Then add flour and any seasoning.
Unlike the dough roller, which mainly hugs the dough, the dough hook extends it.
When flour is added, center the dough hook and lock it in that position. You may need to adjust the position of the dough hook during kneading, and also move the dough knife inwards and outwards to scrape the dough from the edge.
Wait to add any salt until the end of kneading. The salt helps preserve already formed gluten threads, but it can inhibit their formation if it is added before kneading.
If you make a dough with 1½ liters (about 6 cups) or more of dough liquid, you should divide the dough in half and leave it in two separate bowls for fermentation.
Yeast
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that consists of water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and B vitamins.
Yeast makes bread expand and gain volume. Yeast also helps bread develop flavors, because flavors are formed during the fermentation process.
During fermentation, yeast consumes the part of the flour starch that has been converted to malt sugar in the dough. The starch also produces gas bubbles of carbon dioxide. The gas bubbles cause the dough to rise and increase in volume.
When the bread is baking, the yeast dies, but the bread continues to grow because the gas bubbles remain in the dough. For best results and bread texture, the bubbles should be small and evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Fresh yeast
Fresh yeast is a live mushroom that must be stored in the refrigerator, max 46° F.
For bread recipes, fresh yeast is dissolved in lukewarm dough liquid*, approx. 98° F, before remaining ingredients are added. At 122° F or hotter, the yeast will die
During cold fermentation, the amount of fresh yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Dry yeast
Dry yeast is stored at room temperature and, unlike fresh yeast, it has a long shelf life.
For bread recipes, dry yeast is first mixed with flour in the bowl and allowed to stand for ten minutes. Then add finger-warm dough liquid, approx. 98° F, along with other ingredients.
During cold fermentation, the amount of yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Yeast for sweet doughs
There is a variant of both fresh yeast and dry yeast created for baking sweet breads such as cinnamon buns. Sweet breads are defined as those with dough of more than 2½ tablespoons of sweetener per 400 ml of flour.
Replacing yeast
A packet of fresh yeast (50 g) can be replaced with a bag of dry yeast (14 g). Remember that different yeasts dissolve in different ways.
Temperature
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator, ideally at 32-39° F, but it can handle temperatures up to 46° F.
The best yeast temperature for a dough is 77-82° F, while dough liquid should be at 98° F. At 122° F, the yeast cells die.
Yeast should not be frozen, as the yeast cells could die.
Storage
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator; dry yeast at normal room temperature. With the right storage, yeast often lasts much longer than the ”use by” date on the package, but its effect will decrease over time to finally subside completely.
*Dough liquid is the liquid you use when baking, such as water or milk.
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that consists of water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and B vitamins.
Yeast makes bread expand and gain volume. Yeast also helps bread develop flavors, because flavors are formed during the fermentation process.
During fermentation, yeast consumes the part of the flour starch that has been converted to malt sugar in the dough. The starch also produces gas bubbles of carbon dioxide. The gas bubbles cause the dough to rise and increase in volume.
When the bread is baking, the yeast dies, but the bread continues to grow because the gas bubbles remain in the dough. For best results and bread texture, the bubbles should be small and evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Fresh yeast
Fresh yeast is a live mushroom that must be stored in the refrigerator, max 46° F.
For bread recipes, fresh yeast is dissolved in lukewarm dough liquid*, approx. 98° F, before remaining ingredients are added. At 122° F or hotter, the yeast will die
During cold fermentation, the amount of fresh yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Dry yeast
Dry yeast is stored at room temperature and, unlike fresh yeast, it has a long shelf life.
For bread recipes, dry yeast is first mixed with flour in the bowl and allowed to stand for ten minutes. Then add finger-warm dough liquid, approx. 98° F, along with other ingredients.
During cold fermentation, the amount of yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Yeast for sweet doughs
There is a variant of both fresh yeast and dry yeast created for baking sweet breads such as cinnamon buns. Sweet breads are defined as those with dough of more than 2½ tablespoons of sweetener per 400 ml of flour.
Replacing yeast
A packet of fresh yeast (50 g) can be replaced with a bag of dry yeast (14 g). Remember that different yeasts dissolve in different ways.
Temperature
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator, ideally at 32-39° F, but it can handle temperatures up to 46° F.
The best yeast temperature for a dough is 77-82° F, while dough liquid should be at 98° F. At 122° F, the yeast cells die.
Yeast should not be frozen, as the yeast cells could die.
Storage
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator; dry yeast at normal room temperature. With the right storage, yeast often lasts much longer than the ”use by” date on the package, but its effect will decrease over time to finally subside completely.
*Dough liquid is the liquid you use when baking, such as water or milk.
Windowpane Test (Gluten Window)
Gluten
Bread recipes requires flour, liquid and a leavening agent. Flour contains, among other things, the protein gluten, which is one of the components that holds dough together and makes it elastic.
When dough is kneaded, the gluten forms a network of threads which, together with leavening agents, create small gas bubbles. These gas bubbles increase the volume of the dough and make the bread fluffy.
Gluten threads
As soon as flour comes in contact with liquid, the chemical process begins. The protein in the flour reacts with the liquid to form gluten threads. At first the threads are weak and can easily break, but kneading will strengthen the threads and make the dough elastic.
Gluten window / Windowpane Test
Here is a test that can determine if dough has the right elasticity and kneading is complete.
Take a small piece of dough and stretch it into a square with your hands. The dough should stick together and appear mostly transparent, like a window.
If the dough cracks, the gluten threads are too weak and more kneading is required. Knead the test piece of dough in your hand for a while and repeat the test. If you get a durable, transparent gluten window, it means that the dough in the bowl needs more kneading.
Gluten windows work best with pure wheat dough. For example, a mixed dough of rye and wheat will look slightly different. Test this dough after kneading, and if it holds and wants to contract again, it is ready.
Overworked dough
Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this may cause the gluten threads to fall apart. If you have a nice gluten window, no more kneading is required or recommended.
Gluten
Bread recipes requires flour, liquid and a leavening agent. Flour contains, among other things, the protein gluten, which is one of the components that holds dough together and makes it elastic.
When dough is kneaded, the gluten forms a network of threads which, together with leavening agents, create small gas bubbles. These gas bubbles increase the volume of the dough and make the bread fluffy.
Gluten threads
As soon as flour comes in contact with liquid, the chemical process begins. The protein in the flour reacts with the liquid to form gluten threads. At first the threads are weak and can easily break, but kneading will strengthen the threads and make the dough elastic.
Gluten window / Windowpane Test
Here is a test that can determine if dough has the right elasticity and kneading is complete.
Take a small piece of dough and stretch it into a square with your hands. The dough should stick together and appear mostly transparent, like a window.
If the dough cracks, the gluten threads are too weak and more kneading is required. Knead the test piece of dough in your hand for a while and repeat the test. If you get a durable, transparent gluten window, it means that the dough in the bowl needs more kneading.
Gluten windows work best with pure wheat dough. For example, a mixed dough of rye and wheat will look slightly different. Test this dough after kneading, and if it holds and wants to contract again, it is ready.
Overworked dough
Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this may cause the gluten threads to fall apart. If you have a nice gluten window, no more kneading is required or recommended.