No Knead Bread texture problems
I've been baking bread for a few years now, mostly artisan boules...both kneaded and No knead bread. For those of you who have done the same, Is the crumb of the kneaded bread supposed to be the same as the No knead bread? When I have the finished products, they're both delicious, both rise beautifully, both have beautiful crusts and both crumb interiors "look" great with nice holes, not dense, etc, but when I feel the texture with my hands, the kneaded bread has a moist, but slightly drier, airy, fluffy texture and the No knead bread has a crumb texture that's a little more stretchy, ever so slightly gummier (if I was to choose a word) texture. When I toast up the kneaded bread, it toasts and browns a little faster and the No knead bread takes longer to toast and brown.
Again, the benefits of a No knead bread are great, but have any of you compared and analyzed the two methods? Am I over thinking this? Should I be comparing these as apples to apples? In a blind taste test, can one be interchangeable to the other .....or is the no-knead bread always going to have a slightly differently texture to the artisan "kneaded" breads?
if there are differences, what is the chemistry behind the differences in crumb texture?
Thanks...
Is to do the exact same recipe for both (obviously if levain amount is different then adjust the flour + water so hydration is the same) but just change the method.
I don't do no knead breads but from what I understand (and correct me if I'm wrong) they use less starter but left for longer so that time develops the gluten. Instead of more starter with kneading.
So to compare and contrast the flour + water ratio (hydration) should be kept the same for both taking into account the starter added. i.e. the final hydration of the dough including everything. Then compare and contrast.
I use the same amount of starter no matter if I do knead or no knead my bread, but maybe I am doing it wrong.hmmm
No knead gives me a wonderful open crumb texture which I like when I serve a stew , so good to mop up the sauce.
I prefer kneaded bread any other time as I am not a big fan of big holes in bread that is used to hold butter or jam ....
AND I MAY BE WRONG!!!
A dough will form gluten with enough time, without intervention, if left long enough. Kneading speeds the gluten formation up.
Smaller amount of starter = more time.
More starter = less time, therefore, kneading is done to help the gluten formation along.
Many no knead recipes are left for much longer amounts of time than other recipes where it may be done in a few hours.
I treat it all the same, I do the same with stiff starter as I do with 100% hydration starter, same amount, same time, same treatmend.
It works for me:)
When i make no knead - hardly ever here in AZ since it over proofs on the counter overnight, I do a couple of minutes of slap and folds to mix everything together instead of using a spoon. I've noticed a difference in the crumb and just assumed they would be different since they are made differently?
Happy Baking