I have a question as a relatively novice bread baker... What does one do with sticky dough like you show in your photos when you don't have a mixer and have to knead by hand? I usually add more flour but I notice that my bread is not as soft and fluffy as the loaf made by my SIL who uses a breadmaker to knead the same recipe.
Bread machines do knead bread beautifully, it's true - better than we can do by hand. But, since hands are what we've all got - I'd suggest you let the dough sit for 20 to 25 minutes before you start to knead; this gives the flour a chance to absorb the liquid. Then, knead on an oiled surface, rather than floured, if you can. The more flour you knead into your dough, the drier and shorter your loaf will be. I use a silicone rolling mat, sprayed with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Use a dough scraper to move the dough when it sticks. And keep your hands well-oiled, too. Hope this helps - PJH
August 16, 2010 at 5:57pm