Kneaded a loaf too long and got a hockey puck instead of bread

I was in my kitchen last Tuesday trying to get that perfect windowpane test on a sourdough. I kept kneading for like 15 more minutes because it didn't feel smooth enough. When it came out of the oven it was dense as a rock and barely rose. My wife said it made a good doorstop. Now I'm wondering if I should just stick to no-knead recipes or if there's a way to tell when to stop without messing up the whole batch. Anybody else ruined a loaf by overworking the dough?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_thea2mo ago

Wait, you kept kneading for 15 more minutes after the windowpane test? That's like running an extra mile after you already finished the race. Your poor gluten must have been crying for help. Honestly I've done the same thing with my first few loaves because the dough just never felt smooth enough to me either. The trick I learned is that if you can get a decent windowpane without the dough tearing, you're done. Overkneading turns those nice stretchy gluten strands into tight little clumps that trap nothing.

sean_cooper582mo ago

@the_thea making it sound like you committed a crime lol it's just bread.

cora5182mo ago

Anyone tried @sean_cooper58's advice of just trusting the windowpane and not the dough feeling?

david_jones3820d ago

The windowpane test works fine for me, but @the_thea has a point about not overdoing it. Overkneading is real and it turns your dough into a brick. I stopped trusting the dough feeling years ago, it just lies to you. Keep it simple, pull a window, and move on with your life.