Hello, I'm new here (I registered just to post this question!) and I'm
in need of a portable, sturdy and easily cleaned work surface for
kneading doughs.

I've been trying to price large wooden cutting boards but I'm not sure
how large of a work surface I'll really need to knead a loaf or two of
bread, or even if this is the right tool for the job.

Considering that I'm also fairly new to bread making, a key concern for
me is expense. I'd hate to buy a $100 hardwood cutting board that I'll
use once or twice and then shove in the pantry, never to use it again.

I'd greatly appreciate any advice you can give me, thank you.

Well, now that I've committed myself to artisan bread, I need to move up from making only two loaves at a time. I have a wood-fired oven that I only fire once a week, so I'd like to increase the load to make better use of the heat/oven space. My thought is to try to make a dough using 5# of flour + starter. That should make about 6 or 7 loaves, I guess.

My problem is that my KA can hardly handle the 1-1/2# batches I'm presently making. Other than drop another $500 on a new mixing appliance, my only option is to go manual. Which I've never really done before, except to finish up what the mixer already mostly accomplished.

So, how do I do this? I took a look recently at the Julia Child video site -- the video about making baguettes -- where the chef (can't remember her name) says you throw and turn the dough 800(!!) times. At 5+ pounds, that's a lot of throwing! (Kinda like tossing 2 tons of 5# rocks.) Besides, my wife would probably kill me after all that banging of dough on the counter. And I can't say I'd blame her.

Anyone out there hand knead this size dough? What's the technique? How long should I expect the process to take? If it makes a difference, I'm working with naturally leavened dough.

ClimbHi

i noticed a pretty significant change when i kneaded a baguette dough prior to the first fermentation. all of a sudden it became pretty hard to knead, almost tough. is that something i should "knead through" in the hopes it will break down and get malleable again or did i knead too much?

Hey everybody. This is the same kneading and folding video as before, but with Spanish subtitles for the commentary, thanks to fellow FreshLoafian, Joe Martello. I have an Italian and German version in the works, and am looking for someone to transcribe it in French. If you're interested, I can send you the English version in Word, then you can put the matching French sentences underneath the English. Thanks.

-Mark

It is possible the Fresh Loaf Book could benefit from a survey of kneading techniques. This survey was prompted by my baking of a whole wheat recipe from P. Reinhart’s BBA where the dough broke down using the technique he suggested. While the possible kneading styles are infinite, below are 7 different choices to vote for in how it is that you knead bread.

By voting we can tell if there is a consensus as to how people knead their dough.

Hello again bakers,
This is the next video in the series - the longest yet, and most specific. A few people asked me specific questions about roll shaping, so this video is for them. It's easier to show you than to explain it in writing. I also show a little bit of home oven technique for baking on two racks. There's no commentary, so enjoy the music. And in case you're wondering who it is, (Trishinomaha) it's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz. Enjoy.

-Mark

Norm, there's a Dutchess in there just to make you homesick for the bakery.

Same Ciabatta video, different music. Let's just say all musicians aren't crazy about having their music in baking videos. OOps.
-Mark

Hey there everyone,

This is the *new and improved* version of the kneading and folding video I posted a couple of days ago. As per some of your suggestions, I addressed the volume levels, intro commentary and video angles. I like it a lot better, and I hope you do to. In addition, I used Hamelman's multigrain dough this time, instead of whole wheat. (Floyd, could you put this video on the first thread also instead of the first video? I removed the first one already from YouTube- thanks in advance). Next video will be on shaping.

-Mark

This is another video that my wife and I put together on kneading and folding. Just a little more detail than the PSB video with some commentary. Hope you guys like it.

Hey there everybody. I just made this baking video http://youtube.com/watch?v=QfaXbn5HpAY and put it up on YouTube - a little blurry, but I'll try putting a clearer version on our bakery site later. It's a 'how to' without the commentary (if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video must be worth...). Anyway, let me know what you think, and if you'd like any other topics addressed in my future videos. The next one will be on kneading and folding whole wheat dough. Thanks!