Kneading bread with a gadget - quick question

[AngelDog]

I'm using the dough hooks on my electric whisk to knead some bread dough. Do I need to knead it for the same length of time as if I were doing it by hand, or for a shorter time?

The recipe says 5-10 mins by hand (it's River Cottage magic bread dough).

It's a hand mixer. It seems to have turned out smooth and it's risen, but I've not baked it yet as I put it in the fridge to rise overnight.

Next time I'm going to try my food processor.

The dough has turned out smooth, that is - not the hand mixer!

Unless you are arthritic or have long finger nails, why not try kneading by hand next time. It is very theraputic.

Thanks. :)

Actually, I've another question. Does it matter how long you leave the bread to rise after the first kneading? I've had it in the fridge all morning as I've not had time to deal with it.

The problem with bread making is working out when I've got time to make it, let it rise and then bake it. I have a 2 year old and we spend at least half of every day out of the house.

With bread, timing is not the important thing but size. Size does matter! 1hr, or 2hrs, or 5hrs, you want the dough to roughly double in size before knocking back, then double in size when rising in the pan before baking. If it is in the fridge, it can take all day to rise.

I find (using half sponge method) that I can leave it as the half sponge all day, then add the other half when I get home from work at about 6.00pm, knead it, then have supper, do the washing up etc, then knock it back (at about 8.00-8.30 ish). It will then be ready to go in the oven at about 9.30 (or a little before) for 40 minutes. Out to cool on a wire tray overnight, ready for cutting at breakfast.

Leave it to prove until when you poke it gently it doesn't pop straight back up (if it completely deflates when you poke it you've left it too long).

As for kneading - you should be able to hold it up, pull it apart (so it stretched out into a thin "window") poke it and it bounces rather than rips.

Thanks everyone. That's a useful tip about using half the yeast.

The dough seemed to turn out okay when I made it into flatbreads, although it wouldn't roll out thinly enough (I could roll it thinly but it sprang back into a deeper thickness as soon as I stopped actually rolling it).

4merlyknownasSHD, what's the half sponge method? I've not come across that before.

Is there a good book about breadmaking? I can see us experimenting with various types in future.

AngelDog - if you have this problem with rolling it out again.... roll it out as you did, leave it a few minutes and then go back and do it again. It relaxes once it's been rolled out, kind of "gets used" to its new shape, allows you to roll it further.

Well, that's how I do pizza, anyway :)

Ooh, that's a useful idea, Huevos. I've got most of the dough in the freezer now as I ran out of patience time last night so there's a fair chance I'll have the same issue again.