Kneading causing gluten
How can kneading something create more gluten? Gluten is a protein. Can moving something around create more protein? I doubt it. So what is really happening? Are the gluten proteins bonding differently or tangling?
Best Answer
Yes, kneading develops gluten. Specifically, the gliadin and glutenin proteins in flour form gluten when mixed together with water. It's common, but inaccurate (and confusing I think) to refer to gliadin and glutenin as gluten.
For more about the chemistry of how gluten develops see the paragraph on 'bread products' in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten.
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Quick Answer about "Kneading causing gluten"
The gluten is formed during kneading of the bread dough. Kneading causes the gluten strands to get stronger and longer. However, if too much gluten is formed then the bread dough does not stretch so easily. This will cause the bread to become tough and chewy.How does kneading dough create gluten?
Kneading dough is as simple as pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your palm, folding it over itself with your fingers, and pulling it back. This repeated push-pull cross-knits the protein strands, developing a strong gluten net.Can you develop gluten without kneading?
Mixing matters not because it is necessary to develop gluten; you can develop gluten with minimal mixing (there really is no need to knead). Mixing is essential because it speeds up the hydration process and ensures that water is evenly dispersed throughout the flour.What does kneading do to the gluten in the bread?
Kneading stretches and develops the gluten strands in the dough. The protein strands line up and this creates a gluten matrix in the bread which traps air and lets the bread rise.How do you break down gluten in dough?
What about the gluten\u2026Science: What is Gluten? Here's How to See and Feel Gluten
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Answer 2
Hydration (adding water) is the main reason for the gluten development.
Kneading on the other hand, not only helps hydration by effectively mixing the contents but also causes cross-links of gluten webs forming, thus giving the dough (and eventually the baked product) the chewy texture.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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