I finally figured out why my bread kept turning out like a brick

For like 2 years I was kneading my dough way too hard because I thought you had to beat it into submission. Then my aunt watched me do it at Thanksgiving and laughed, said I was basically punching the gluten to death. Anyone else get a basic step totally wrong for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

josephb352d ago

Switched to wet dough and just folded it four times.

betty_fisher53d ago

I read somewhere that overworking dough makes the gluten structure COLLAPSE, which explains my rocks.

rowanp153d ago

Wait, isn't it the opposite? Overworking dough usually makes it tough and dense because too much gluten develops, not collapsing. Pretty sure underproofing or bad yeast is what makes them rock hard.