Kneading vs No-Kneading: Effects on Bread Texture and Baking Time

[barryman]

I have been making homemade bread for a couple of years. Up till now I have always followed the recipes for "no-knead" bread. I get a loaf that is not bad at all albeit sometimes coming out a bit dense. The mix I end up with is never a solid ball of dough but a slightly thinner mix which pours quite well into my loaf tin. The resulting 50 minute bake produces a hard crust with a softish centre.

My question is this:- what would the results be if, instead of following the no-knead method, I added very slightly more flour to the mix to get a thicker dough and then I actually kneaded it for a few minutes? Would it rise any higher meaning that I don't have to bake it for the approx 50 minutes that I do at the moment ?? As I said, the crust usually comes out quite hard maybe because I have to bake until the middle is cooked completely.

Any advice appreciated..

 

[pixnum]

I think that you should knead regularly when you are making any baking product. Moreover, the kneading process is of two types, one is by hand and another is by machine. But if you are keen to increase your baking skill, then you should knead by your hand as it will increase your baking skills and experience as well. If you knead by machine, then you will be able to save your time and labour but you will never increase your baking skills. Also, you could do experiments with recipes by machine within a short period of time also. It is true that kneading for baking products will make good baking products without any technical problems as well as it will increase your concentration about making the new baking products also.

 

[chassis]

No-knead is a popular culture myth. Bread needs gluten development. This is achieved through mechanical action, to wit: kneading.

Knead the bread dough. I prefer the slap-fold, aka "French fold" technique.

 

[Joslyn]

Kneading dough forms gluten strands which gives your dough more structure and elasticity. You’ll get a much better rise because the gas from the yeast is trapped in the stronger more elastic dough.

 

[BertieBakes]

I have been making homemade bread for a couple of years. Up till now I have always followed the recipes for "no-knead" bread. I get a loaf that is not bad at all albeit sometimes coming out a bit dense. The mix I end up with is never a solid ball of dough but a slightly thinner mix which pours quite well into my loaf tin. The resulting 50 minute bake produces a hard crust with a softish centre.

My question is this:- what would the results be if, instead of following the no-knead method, I added very slightly more flour to the mix to get a thicker dough and then I actually kneaded it for a few minutes? Would it rise any higher meaning that I don't have to bake it for the approx 50 minutes that I do at the moment ?? As I said, the crust usually comes out quite hard maybe because I have to bake until the middle is cooked completely.

Any advice appreciated..

The joy of no knead bread is that there is no kneading involved! If you start kneading you might as well follow a traditional bread recipe because that's almost what you would be doing by adding flour and kneading your no knead bread, right? If you are unhappy with your no knead crust, you might consider baking it in a cast iron Dutch oven, removing the lid two-thirds of the way through baking. The lid keeps the moisture in and will keep your crust from drying out and getting hard. When you remove the lid it then turns nice a golden brown. Heat the Dutch oven to 450 degrees for 30 minutes before you put your dough in to sear the crust and prevent it sticking. I've been baking and selling no knead bread for twelve years. It's not a popular culture myth. It actually works and can be done well. We have a line around the block every morning and a bunch of very grumpy people when we run out .

 

[Leofric]

It would be nice to see your recipe. To see exactly what is going on.

Kneading versus long fermentation - no knead bread develops gluten with an extended fermentation time, less yeast and more water which gives you the crunchy crust.

Whereas an enriched bread dough, called that because it contains fats, sugar, and more yeast, often has a much shorter fermentation time but requires kneading to develop gluten.
Due to radiation treatment my father's teeth can't cope with no knead bread but loves the flavors of sour dough enriched bread. But we do a modified no-knead, long fermentation, enriched sour dough bread. I mix the dough with an added sour and the regular amounts of yeast and use my kitchen aid to knead the dough, and usually I did a very quick knead and than I refrigerate the dough over night, and allow it to warm up for several hours before shaping and the final fermentation. The result is a slightly chewier but wonderfully flavorful loaf which can be sliced paper thin.

 

[Fred]

I have been making homemade bread for a couple of years. Up till now I have always followed the recipes for "no-knead" bread. I get a loaf that is not bad at all albeit sometimes coming out a bit dense. . . .

What I'm about to say will probably on this forum be anathema and may get me ostracized if not outright banned. I am by no means a professional cook, but when I want soft yeast rolls or a soft loaf, I do everything but the rise in a food processor. No hand kneading involved. It's an enriched dough: flour, sugar, butter, egg, milk, salt, and, of course, yeast--4 teaspoons per 3 cups of flour. Everything but the egg and warmed milk goes in the food processor. I start the processor, pour in milk and egg simultaneously, and then stop pouring the milk when a shaggy, amorphous ball starts whirring around the bowl. I let the food processor continue for about 15 to 30 seconds or so after that. Then I put the dough in a greased bowl, cover the bowl, and set it in an oven alongside a bowl of really warm water. Then I let it do the first rise for 45 minutes to an hour, at which time I shape the rolls or put the dough in loaf tins, and let them rise again.

Everyone who eats them says they love them. I'm asked to make them for holiday dinners. It's not fancy and no professional skills are required. But split one and add a slice of ham and a tad dollop of mustard and you've got a delicious lunch or breakfast or whatever meal you want it for.

I have on occasion tried to do fancier stuff, but since we're not huge bread eaters these soft yeast rolls are my go-to rolls for holiday meals.

 

[Joslyn]

What ever works for you, that's what counts. I swear by the old no knead Tupperware bread recipe. I bump up the sugar and use the dough to make the best cinnamon rolls. 1/2 a recipe makes 18 rolls and they are gone in a day. Sure, there are yeast dough snobs and perfectionists that will call you out, but if you and those you bake for are lovin' your rolls, keep doin' what you're doin'!

 

[damien240]

Hello, I always make my own bread, because this food is not as good as prepared by myself, maybe it takes a little time, but it's worth at least I know what I eat, there is no point in adding more flour, it cannot be too much, because later good bread will not come out