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c/bakersthe_ninathe_nina5d ago

Appreciation post: hand kneading vs the kitchenaid hook

I grew up watching my grandma hand knead every loaf she ever made. She swore by the feel of the dough, said the machine made it tough. When I started baking on my own, I went straight for the Kitchenaid hook because it saves time and my arms don't ache. But a few months back, I tried her way on a batch of sourdough and the crumb came out way softer than my usual. I spent about 3 hours total, hands in the dough, and it honestly felt more connected to the process. Now I swap between methods depending on my mood but her method won me over for rustic loaves. Anyone else find hand kneading gives a better texture or am I just being nostalgic?
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2 Comments
sage_ramirez42
Fair point @kelly_west74 but honestly it flew by once i got into a rhythm. Paused for podcasts and coffee between folds so it wasn't pure kneading the whole time. The texture payoff made it totally worth it imho.
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kelly_west74
Whoa, three hours of hand kneading sounds exhausting!
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