Greetings all,

So this is my second attempt using what I guess is called French Fold? I found it from the video http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdough which this site linked to me.

Anyways, both times I've tried it, it has stayed sticky all the way through, up to 30 minutes of kneading! Not sticky like it looks at the beginning of the video, but still sticking to my hands/table. Could it just be a hydration issue or am I doing something wrong?

I combine my ingredients thoroughly and then get to kneading. I know that's not how the specific french fold area of the this site explains to do it, but that's how the video showed it and I can't argue with his results ... although I could argue with mine :(

Thanks for any help on this.

Hi all!

Have gotten some good advice here in the past so will see what you think about my recent attempt at Peter Reinhart's Tuscan Bread from the Bread Baker's Apprentice.  I have generally not had problems in the past getting a smooth enough dough using either hand kneading or my kitchenaid.  I tried to make the Tuscan Bread and followed the instructions in the book for mixing in the kitchenaid.  after his recommended time it was not at all as smooth as it should be--in fact the dough wasn't really being kneaded as it was really just too stuck to the dough hook.  So I figured, I'll finish it by hand, it shouldnt' take too long as it's already gotten a good amount of kneading in the machine.

As I kneaded it got better, but even after 20 minutes it was nowhere close enough!  I let it sit and re-knead it (hoping the "autolyze" woudl kick in) and while that helped as well, it still wasn't enough.  I finally gave up and just baked it but of coruse the results were not right at all--not airy but dense, which was not how it should be.  (By the way, Reinhart says you only need to knead by hand for 10 or so minutes.  I know I am out of practice hand kneading, but this was just ridiculous).

Any ideas what the problem was?  I use King Arthur flour and bread flour strength, as recommended.

Hiya,

Let's hear your thoughts...
Why all the Internet chatter about no-Knead bread?

My personal thoughts are that it is related to everything else we sacrifice for convenience.

For example, look at this thread on LifeHacker:
(Read the comments)
http://lifehacker.com/5060851/make-no+knead-bread-faster-and-healthier

I love kneading, it's better than Therapy, one of the best Stress reliefs.

Note: I'm not picking on LifeHacker, that's a great site for tips, DIY, self help, etc.

I was a stay-at-home mom when my children were very young, so I had lots of time to experiment with baking breads.  I tried just about everything it seems.  I don't bake quite as much anymore since it's just my husband and I.  I got a bread maker several years ago and it makes the job easier by far, but there is nothing quite as satisfying and even cathartic as the act of kneading dough by hand. 

Thank you for this website.  I think it will be one that I'd like to refer back to again and again for more recipes!

Hello all, unfortunately, there aren't a lot of forums for beginner soba makers so I thought I'd post my question up here since my question pertains to equipment we both have in common. I need a large kneading area and I was thinking of purchasing a 3/4 inch sheet of plywood and cutting it to the required size (4'x4').My concern is whether the adhesives that hold the plywood together would potential contaminate my dough as I knead it?Are there any "food safe" plywood boards out there? Thanks in advance.

Hi,

Just a light anecdote to brighten your day and perhaps provide some "assistance".  :-)

I perform all my breadmaking by hand - partly because I don't have a mixer and partly because the meditative aspects of breadmaking are half the reason I bake bread. 

Tonight, as I mixed Hamelmann's Oatmeal Bread by hand (big hunk of dough, that!) ALONE in the kitchen (sigh!), my mind began to wander as I hit the rhythmic stage of kneading.

You see, usually I am accompanied in my (daytime) breadmaking by my 2 year old son, who is a precocious chef.  He usually insists on 'helping'.  When he is no longer satisfied with his own blob of dough, I have developed a novel method to keep his hands out of the way -- the Kneading Song.  I promise you that once you hear this it will be forever stuck in your head as you knead - so beware if you read further!

Now he automatically sings it when I'm kneading (and sometimes when we are in the shops - much to the confusion of my fellow shoppers):

(to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Knead, knead, knead the dough

Make it nice and smoooooth

Fold it over, push it down

And now you're in the groooove

(Repeat until kneading is over; or as is usually the case, until you can get the #$!@ song out of your head!) 

Happy kneading!

MommaT 

The Fresh Loafers, This is the latest video where I'm working with some higher hydration (68%) doughs. Both of the breads are 'originals', and if you'd like to see the recipes you can probe around here for them or email me at the bakery. Anyway, I hope you like it. I decided to forego music this time and just add commentary. Nothing witty, strictly business. -Mark

Does any one use a food processor to make their dough?  I have a recicpe for rye bread(doesn't say to use a food processor) that wants you to MIX, BEAT VERY HARD FOR 3 MIN., And KNEAD FOR 8-10 MIN.  Can the food processor do all this?   I guess I want to know if you can make all doughs using a food processor or just some recipes or do you have to adapt the recipe when using the processor?  I bought a pretty good 14 cup Cuisinart that should be strong enough but not sure when to use it for doughs.  Any one have any ideas?

With all the recent discussion on making baguettes, I thought some of you might be interested in a recent posting about baguettes on my brand-spankin'-new bread blog:

 http://www.breadcetera.com/

 - SteveB

Hi,

 I am considering buying a Magimix 5150 food processor for a multitude of other purposes.  However, I see on the website that they claim it has a capacity of 1.3 kg bread dough.

 I generally like to knead by hand -- this kind of therapy is one of the reasons I bake bread -- but thought it might be useful to use the Magimix for mixing wetter dough or for starting the mixing/kneading process (then finishing off by hand).

 Anyone have experience using the Magimix for this purpose?  Is this realistic?  Or am I deluding myself?  ;-)

 Thanks,

 MommaT