Are there any negative effects to kneading bread dough longer?
Is there such a thing as over-kneading bread dough. From what I understand, kneading the bread dough is what allows the gluten strands to align and form the beautiful gluten networks that create bread with all the little air bubbles.
If that is the case, is it always, "the more you knead the better", or are there any negative effects that occur if you knead it longer than what your bread recipe states.
Best Answer
There are several negative effects from over-kneading bread dough:
- Overheating - if the dough gets too warm, it will ferment too quickly (or over ferment) and will therefore lack flavour.
- Oxidisation - kneading for too long can cause the flour to oxidise and bleach, again impairing flavour.
- Breaking down - eventually the molecular bonds of the gluten will break, which is obviously not what you want to happen!
The latter two are really only possible with electric mixers, however.
Most doughs are ready for fermentation when they reach an internal temperature of 77-81ºF (25-27°C). You can also check the gluten development with the Windowpane Test: pull off a chunk of dough and stretch it with your hands. It should stretch to form a very thin translucent sheet, without tearing.
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Quick Answer about "Are there any negative effects to kneading bread dough longer?"
Oxidisation - kneading for too long can cause the flour to oxidise and bleach, again impairing flavour. Breaking down - eventually the molecular bonds of the gluten will break, which is obviously not what you want to happen!What happens if you knead bread too long?
Over-kneaded dough can become very hard to work with and produce a more flat and chewy bread. It's vital to stop mixing at the first signs of over-kneading, as a fully over-kneaded dough cannot be fixed.Is it better to knead bread for longer?
If you think you've over-kneaded the dough, try letting it rise a little longer before shaping it. You can't really undo the damage of over-worked gluten, but the longer rise can get the dough to relax a little. Loaves made with over-kneaded dough often end up with a rock-hard crust and a dense, dry interior.Can bread dough be kneaded too much?
You can tell you've kneaded dough too much if it becomes difficult to stretch. Sometimes this happens when you use a stand mixer or food processor. Overkneaded dough will be tough and make tough, chewy bread.How long is too long to knead dough?
Kneading for 10-12 minutes by hand or 8-10 minutes in a mixer are the general standards; if you've been massaging the dough for that length of time, you can be pretty confident that you've done your job.87: FIVE signs your Bread Dough is Fully Kneaded, Before and After - Bake with Jack
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Answer 2
It is also possible to overknead for a specific bread dough recipe. For example, American Sandwich Loaf bread is a lightly kneaded, white-flour pan loaf, and if you kneaded it heavily you would get the wrong texture and flavor. It might still be good, but it would be a notably different bread. Likewise brioche, pain de mie, foccacia, potato bread, and many other breads whose soft texture owes itself to a short kneading and limited gluten development.
So no, more kneading isn't always better.
Answer 3
Definitely yes, i really overworked my ciabatta dough and it now has a very dense crumb. Everything was fine the dough fermented like a star but due to overworking, it failed in the end.
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