It started with this photo, a bagel, and a tasty one at that. I posted the photo, and before I knew It, I was getting message upon messag asking questions about basic dough. Now a number of these questions were in regards to bagels specifically, but the same general principles apply to most doughs. Many people are home trying new baking projects during this time, and I felt it was appropriate to share some basic dough knowledge.
You do not need a mixer for basic doughs. When you mix dough, form a well in the center of your flour (and other dry ingredients) in a large bowl. Add your wet ingredients, and bring the flour into the well from the outside in. Pinch with your thumb and forefinger like a lobster to bring dough together for no knead recipes, autolyse, poolish, and biga. For doughs that you are kneading, you can use your whole hand to smash the ingredients together.
Most dough can easily be fixed by adding either flour or water. Err on the side of caution when adding these ingredients as a fix. If it is too wet, add flour, if it is to firm add water. Most doughs should be moist but not sticky. Use warm water, as cold water will make your dough extra sticky. When you first take the freshly formed dough out of your mixing bowl and transfer it to your working surface it may be sticky. lightly flour your working surface, and slowly add small amounts of flour at a time while kneading. Remember that some of the flour in the dough is not fully hydrated, so add flour sparingly. When the dough is no longer sticky you can stop adding flour and work the dough with your hands.
Knead for a long time, if you are new to baking it is probably longer than you think. The process of kneading builds gluten structure in the flour. This structure will hold the gas bubbles created by the yeast and sugars in the baking process. if your dough doesn’t have good structure, it will rise in the oven when the gases release, then fall flat, and yield dense results. If a recipe says “knead for 10 minutes,” they mean 10 full minutes of continuous movement. Don’t be afraid to use your body weight to move the dough. Push the dough down and away from you, turn it a quarter turn onto its point, and repeat. Pushing away from you with solid downward pressure. As the gluten structure forms, you can lighten up on the pressure, but don’t stop kneading until you have reached the desired result. In most cases you are looking for a smooth and very consistent dough. In the kitchen chefs and bakers often shit their leg positions to tolerate standing in one spot for a long time without body pain. I recommend the sumo stance.
Pay attention to proofing. Proofing is the period of time when you let the dough rest. The yeast ferments the flour in the dough producing gas, and increasing the size of the dough. When you proof dough the finger dent test is a useful tool. Pick a finger, any finger. Now lightly flour said finger and press it about 1/4 inch into the proofing dough. If the dimple bounces back quickly and completely, the dough is not yet proofed. If it bounces back just a little, and gently, it is proofed. If the dimple does not bounce back at all your dough is over proofed. If you proof a dough more than once, the finger dent test is still applicable on both proofs.
Now this principle dose not apply to starters like autolyse, poolish, and biga. Your starters should be sticky, you don’t need to work starters much at all, just bring them together then apply the proofing rules after mixing the final dough.
Be Kind to dough, it’s a living breathing thing. When you are proofing the dough, cover it, as it can form a hard film on the outside that will result hard clumps in your final product. Keep it in a nice warm place while its proofing, dough rises best in a warm place.
If you don’t like the result of your baking, think about how wet or dry your dough was. Examine your proofing process, and make sure you knead until the dough is smooth. Sometimes it takes experimentation to get your desired result. Listen to though dough, and remember that elevation, humidity, barometric pressure, and other factors will affect your dough. Sometimes you will need more water, or flour than a recipe calls for, don’t be afraid to tweak your recipe the next time you bake. Follow the 10% rule when changing your formula, change one ingredient at a time, no more than 10% at a time. This will allow you to keep track of the difference each ingredient makes. If you change the ratio of four or five ingredients by different percentages at the same time, it is almost impossible to track your progress.
Have fun with it, and don’t be afraid to get your hands sticky.