Over kneaded bread dough

[Jux]

is there any way of rescuing bread dough which has been over-kneaded?

Or, failing that, recipes which benefit from over-kneaded dough?

can you over knead bread dough?

i don't think you can overknead dough, what do you mean, OP?

OK, you can't if you're doing it by hand but if you use a machine apparently you can!

The dough was perfect when it came out of the mixer, and 2hrs later it was twice the size. The recipe said to knock it back and then knead for about two minutes. Well, very soon -less than 30 secs maybe? - after I started kneading it again it just turned into this awful sticky splodge; very hard to work with.

I put it back into the mixer and added loads of flour and it got slightly better, but was never right again.

I googled it and apparently I'd over-kneaded it, which meant the dough was heavier and softer. I cooked it anyway (was making bao for supper) and they steamed OK, but the bread was heavier and stickier.

I've still got half the dough, though.... ... and no idea what I can do with it.

it always turns to sticky splodge at first when you start the second kneading, but you should have kept going without adding more flour.
Is Paul Hollywood on MN??

That would be nice if he were! (Are you, perchance, he?)

I am v inexperienced bread make as you may have noticed! So, you think I had better just keep on kneading the other half then. OK, I'll do that and see what happens.

Thanks all!

Pizza base?

Thanks, I suggested pizza base to dh just now, and he made the cat's bum face!

I left the dough in the bowl last night and found it had risen again this morning. I tried kneading it again but it didn't actually need it (see what I did there? OK, old joke) so I just shaped it and shoved it in the oven. It's just come out, looking remarkably like bread! When it's cooled a bit I'll try it.

If I never come on MN again, you'll know that it turned into poison overnight

I agree with jaspser you needed to keep kneeding and not add more flour.

By the way, I make Artisan bread that does not require any kneading. It works perfectly every time. I mix and prove in a bread maker then just dump it out on a tray, slash the top, dust with flour and bake with a cup of water in the bottom of the oven in a tray.

he used to post on the BBC message boards, so he may well get to read this

what a great web-chat he would be!

MNHQ, please can we have Paul Hollywood on?

but yes, if you had carried on kneading the dough may well have firmed up - it will still taste good, even better i'd say after the lengthy proving overnight

I've just tried it, plain. Disappointing, but the recipe had no salt so it just tastes a bit sweet from the sugar, otherwise fairly pointless as far as eating goes.

I have learnt a great deal about bread-making though, so it was worth it. If I make bread at all, I make soda bread, which we all love, and - most important - requires no kneading (weak due to ms).

Now I know that I can do it in the mixer, the airing cupboard really is warm enough for proving and that I can just leave it overnight.... I also know that if the dough is sticky I just need to get dh and dd involved

Well, I'm not scared any more!

PH would be a good web chat person as would Mary Berry, I have a question for her which I was going to write to her about, but I could do it here.....

Thanks everyone, for your help.

MoreBeta, I don't suppose you'd care to share? Is it a secret recipe? I don't have a bread maker, just a mixer with a hook thing.

jux - the recipe for Artisan Bread is here. Just scroll down a bit for the recipe ingredients and instructions.

I actually just make it in a bowl sometimes (no need for a breadmaking machine) and then I leave to rise in the kitchen. You dont need a special warm place or anything to let it rise.

I often make it for when guests come to lunch/dinner. It is so impressive to have real home cooked bread at the table but it is disgracefully easy to make.

Oh that look so easy!; as you say, disgracefully!

I will do that next time. Thanks.

Jux,

If you are going to leave the dough overnight, you won't need to put it in the airing cupboard. You may find that it overflows your bowl if it has all that warmth for so long. In the side in the kitchen would be sufficient. You could even put it in the fridge and it would be OK.

I never knead my bread twice as I use instant yeast - am I doing it wrong then?

I used instant yeast!

I wouldn't normally leave it overnight, I just forgot to do anything with it before I went to bed. I'm quite happy using the airing cupboard and getting it done quickly, but it's nice to know the options.

I made more dough today, this time using the recipe from the yeast packet. We had pizzas. They were quite nice (not much of a pizza fan). The dough was better this time and came out of the mixer with no stickiness, and was just the same after proving too. Definitely didn't knead enough yesterday!

Gosh, it was surprisingly easy!

hurray !

I'll have to get DD2 to come and explain the joy of pizza to your DH
(there are times when the rest of us agree with your DH and never want to see one ever again)

Funnily enough, startail, dh was the one who wanted pizza this evening. He's a nutter sometimes!