Last Updated on January 27, 2023 by Lori Walker
Making bread involves varying processes, from kneading to rising and shaping. Since most recipes don’t include detailed steps, you may be wondering if you’re doing things right.
One of the steps beginners are often confused with is the kneading process. This step may be necessary to achieve desired texture of the dough.
So, can you knead dough after it rises? Read on to find out and enjoy baking like a pro.
Should You Knead Dough After It Rises?
Yes. After the first rise, you can knead the dough lightly to remove some gas that causes air bubbles. This step is ideal if you want your dough to be flat and dense or if you want bread with a close crumb, like sourdough.
If you prefer sourdough with an open crumb, just knead the dough lightly.
In addition, you shouldn’t repeat this step if you already develop adequate gluten before the first rise. Doing it for the second time will also deflate the air bubbles and distribute the gas.
This step gives you airy bread during the second rise before placing it in the oven.
Find out why the dough shrinks when you roll it here.
Why Should You Do It?
Kneading is a vital step done by hand or using a stand mixer to distribute ingredients evenly and remove gas [1].
If you want your bread to have less chance of forming large holes, you can do this step a bit after rising.
Aside from removing gas, some recipes may require the dough to be kneaded after the final rise before it is baked. You should also do it to make bread with a tight crumb.
But how can you fix an over-kneaded dough?
When To Knead Dough After Rising
If your dough has large holes, it is due to gas accumulating inside, which cannot be removed during shaping.
So removing the excess gas after the first rise or bulk fermentation prevents it from bursting and ensures a better bread loaf.
Note that kneading the dough after rising depends on how you want your bread to look, so doing this step varies per recipe and preference.
Find out what to do about bread that didn’t rise here.
Benefits of Kneading Dough After It Rises
Organizes Gluten
Gluten is essential to bread structure, making the dough elastic and smooth [2]. Flour also consists of glutenin and gliadin proteins, which create gluten strands.
Once you knead the dough, it helps with gluten development and gas bubbles. Moreover, it lengthens and organizes these strands, perfect for light bread.
However, you should knead lightly to maintain the gluten balloons if you want your dough to expand at the final rise and baking.
Removes Gas
Another benefit this process offers is to remove gas when you let the dough rise. If the dough has gas bubbles, it may burst through your loaf of bread at some point.
Removing the gas through shaping is also impossible, so you should knead it before you shape it. Also, you should do this step to spread the gas evenly for freshly baked, airy bread.
Activates Yeast
Lastly, this step helps activate yeast which ferments sugar in the flour. So if your flour has less yeast content, performing this step after the first rise is essential.
“It’s all about a balancing act between time, temperature, and ingredients: that’s the art of baking.”
– Peter Reinhart, American Baker
Furthermore, activating the yeast will improve the flavor and make your bread light and fluffy. Nonetheless, do not overdo it, as it can slow the yeast.
Read: What’s The Difference Between SAF Instant Yeast Red And Gold?
Why Should You Knead Dough Gently After It Rises?
This process should be done gently to create bread with an open crumb. Varying bread also requires specific shaping. For instance, focaccia requires a shape with huge holes.
Thus, applying this step to your dough gently is vital to keep the gas that creates bubbles and prevents tearing. To do so, punch down, press the dough lightly, and stretch it.
On the contrary, some recipe requires gas to maintain the gluten balloons, and this step will ruin the structure.
In this case, avoiding this step is ideal to keep the good structure of the dough.
Read: What Are The Steps In Fixing A Runny Cookie Dough?
When Should You Not Knead It?
If you’re a fan of open-crumbed goods with large holes, you should avoid this step after rising. As stated, this step can ruin the good structure and remove the excess gas.
Instead, let the loaf proof and divide it. Then, shape, bench rest, and reshape it for the next rise.
Repeating this step after the first rise will also deflate bubbles, making your dough dense and flat.
Find out what you should do if your sourdough is not holding shape here.
How Long Do You Knead Dough After It Rises?
For the first stage, you can do it for around 10 minutes or until your dough is elastic and stretchy. Kneading has two stages and is best done by hand as you may over-knead with a mixer.
Once you master this technique, you can do this first step for around 5 to 6 minutes. For the second stage, do it light and short, as you only need to spread yeast and gas.
Find out how long you can keep the bread dough in the fridge here.
FAQs
What should you do with dough after it rises?
It depends. You can punch it down to prevent over-proofing or if you want thick goods. Meanwhile, let it proof, shape, and bake it to create light bread.
Can you knead the dough after the second rise?
Yes, you can. Just do it lightly if you want to keep the gas on the dough, which gives bread big holes. Also, do it short since you don’t have to develop more glutens.
Do you knead bread before or after letting it rise?
Generally, you should do it before rising, although you can knead the dough before and after it rises.
Kneading is the process of mixing ingredients and developing strength in the finished product. After the first proof, you can perform this step to remove bubbles and spread gas on the dough.
What will happen if you don’t knead dough after it rises?
If you don’t have a well-kneaded dough, it may not inflate or keep its form after the first proof. Skipping this step will also maintain bubbles.
Thus, this step matters to prevent dough from tearing or collapsing.
Key Takeaways
So, can you knead the dough after it rises? Overall, the answer depends on the required baking process of a recipe and your preference.
Aside from that, this step may or may not be applicable based on how you want your bread to appear. So whether you can repeat this step after the first and second proof varies per recipe.
References:
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-kneading-p2-995551
- https://www.seriouseats.com/breadmaking-101-how-to-mix-and-knead-dough-step-by-step
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