What is the relation between mixing the dough and the final result? [duplicate]

I often see recipes that just ask to mix the ingredients until you get an homogeneous mix. Others ask to mix the ingredients to exhaustion.

What happens to the though while I mix it? Does that really make a difference? What should I expect, as final result (after cooking) from a dough that was only mixed to the point it gets homogeneous from one that I mix hard for a long time?

I am mostly talking about bread and cake dough. But I was wondering if there is a general rule so I know what to expect.

dough

Best Answer

Okay, so I presume that we're talking about recipes containing wheat flour and you're putting together a dough (or batter) for a bake or maybe even a pasta.

In general, mixing wheat flour with water results in the production of gluten. Gluten is pretty tough stuff; it's essentially what gives a finished wheat product its chew and contributes greatly to its overall structure. The more you mix (or knead), the tougher the resulting dough and finished product.

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What is the result of over mixing on bread dough?

The overworked dough will often feel tight and tough. This means that liquid molecules have been damaged and won't stretch properly, causing the bread to break and tear more easily. Conversely, a dough that is underworked will be harder to form into a ball shape.

What does mixing do to dough?

The purpose of kneading any dough is to develop gluten, and incorporate micro bubbles into the mass of the dough which will inflate during proofing and baking. The more a dough is kneaded, the tighter and more regular a baked loaf's crumb will become. Sandwich breads are kneaded more.

What will happen if the dough was over mixed?

Dough can get aerated, which means too much air can be incorporated into mixtures. Mixing goods for an extended period of time can also result in extra gluten development; which means that overmixing will give you cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, and breads which are gummy or unpleasantly chewy.

How does over mixing affect gluten and the final product of quick breads?

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.

Mixing and Dough Development

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