Repeat this plant, pull, swivel, and press sequence; as you practice kneading this way, it will become one swift, fluid motion.
A yeasted dough or sourdough is sufficiently kneaded when it passes the
windowpane test
(see below) and meets other visual and textural criteria. Have you been kneading the dough for at least 10 to 15 minutes? Is the dough smooth and elastic? Is it shiny? If the answers are yes, it is time to stop kneading and let the dough rest and rise.
GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT AND THE WINDOWPANE TEST
Gluten is the substance responsible for the elastic texture of a properly kneaded dough. Gluten is formed when flour is combined with water and kneaded to the point where individual protein strands fasten together to form a sturdy network. The resulting dough is strong and springy, qualities that ultimately yield a chewy, light loaf of bread filled with air pockets.
To be sure you have kneaded the dough long enough, apply the windowpane test: Take a small piece of dough between the thumb and forefinger of each hand and stretch the dough to form a thin membrane. If it tears quickly, knead the dough for a few more minutes and test again, until it is stretchy enough to allow the windowpane to form. Rye breads are the exception to this rule; as rye flour is naturally low in gluten, the windowpane test does not apply. Instead, follow the kneading time and check the recipe’s visual indicators.
RISING
The
rising period is the stage when the dough feeds and ferments. While chemical leaveners—baking soda and baking powder—do the job for quick breads, yeasted doughs and sourdoughs require some rising time to develop their flavor and texture. The dough is put into a bowl, covered, and placed in a warm (70°F), draft-free place. All our recipes have instructions for rising periods.
RETARDING
Some of the recipes in this book—the sourdoughs in particular—require an extended rising period in a cool place (60°F or cooler). This type of slow rise is referred to as
retarding
the dough, a technique that allows the dough to develop a deeper taste and richer texture.
There can be other reasons to retard or slow the rising of a bread. If you need to leave the house, you can cover the rising dough or
proofing
loaves with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in the refrigerator. When you return home, bring out the dough or loaves and place in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 to 2 hours, until swelled and airy. Making bread takes all day, but you don’t have to sit and watch it the whole time!
SHAPING
The preliminary step for shaping most breads is to form the dough into a
loose round:
Turn the dough ball out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into the desired number of pieces. Expelling as little of the air from the dough as possible, gently shape each piece of dough into a loose round by tucking the dough underneath itself to create a smooth surface on top (
fig. A
and
fig. B
).
Don’t try to seal the seam of the dough yet; that step occurs when you create the final shape. Cover the rounds with a floured kitchen towel and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes, as specified in the recipe.
Shaping a dough into its final form is like creating an air-filled ball; by pulling the outermost layer of dough taut around the inside, you capture the airy inner mass, giving the dough something to push against as it rises in its new shape. As you shape the following bread forms, you should feel a tension between the elasticity of the dough, the bottom edges of your hands, and the surface you are working on.
Loose Round
Large Round
Cup your hands around the dough as if you were trying to hide the dough. Start to gently move your hands in a circular motion, keeping the bottom edges of your hands on the table (
fig. A
).
Continue to circulate the dough ball while lightly pressing your hands down on the part of the dough that is closest to the work surface; this will draw down the outer skin of the dough, creating a seam on the bottom. You will feel a tension between the elasticity of the dough, the bottom edges of your hands, and the rolling surface.
Next, seal the seam on the bottom by pinching it closed with your fingers (
fig. B
).
Turn the dough so that the seam is back on the work surface, and using cupped hands, roll the dough back and forth while keeping the seam on the work surface to further seal the seam. Place the round in a prepared proofing basket (
fig. C
) or on a baking sheet, seam side up if using a basket, seam side down if rising on a sheet.
Small Round
Cup your hand around the dough and move it in a circular motion, resting the outside of your hand on the work surface (
fig. A
).
Use your thumb to pull the outside of the dough underneath the round. As you become accustomed to the motion, you can use both hands to roll two rounds at once.
Bâtard
Flatten the dough into an oval. Working with the long side in front of you, tightly roll the dough into itself, creating a seam on the bottom (
fig. A
).
Seal the seam closed (
fig. B
) and, with cupped hands, roll the dough into a rounded, blunt-ended oval (
fig. C
).
Keeping the seam on the work surface, roll it back and forth, sealing the seam further. Place in a prepared proofing basket, seam side up (
fig. D
), or on a baking sheet, seam side down.
Oval
Flatten the dough into an oval. Working from the long side of the oval, tightly roll the dough into itself, creating a seam on the bottom (see
bâtard
fig. A
). Seal the seam closed and, with cupped hands, roll the dough into a tapering, football-shaped oval (
fig. A
).
