I gave up on my stand mixer's dough hook for bagels and went back to hand kneading

For ages I used my trusty stand mixer with the dough hook for my bagel dough, thinking it was the modern way. The other day I decided to do a side-by-side test with my usual recipe, making one batch by machine and one by hand (the old-school, ten minute knead on the counter). The hand-kneaded dough was just... better. It had a smoother, tighter feel right away, and after the boil and bake, the crust was shinier and the crumb had that perfect, chewy pull. The mixer batch was good, but it was a bit slack and the texture wasn't as strong. I think the constant pressure and fold of hands builds the gluten in a way a hook just can't mimic, especially for a stiff dough. It's messier, sure, but the result is worth the extra five minutes of work. Anyone else find that some doughs just need the human touch?

4 comments

4 Comments

derekl7914d agoMost Upvoted

Ever try that with pizza dough?

mila_perry1314d ago

Totally agree, it's not even close. My mixer just slaps the dough around the bowl. Kneading by hand you can feel the change in the texture, when it goes from shaggy to smooth and strong. You get that tight skin on the outside of the dough ball. It just makes a better structure. I only use the hook for like, cookie dough now. For real bread, it's hands every time.

blair2487d ago

Yeah exactly, you can actually tell when it's ready by touch. My stand mixer never gets it to that same smooth, springy feel, it's just not the same lol.

danielhenderson7d ago

I read a baker's blog that said hand kneading aligns the gluten strands better. The push and fold motion creates a stronger network than the hook's tearing action. That's probably why the texture is so different.