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1 Answer
Over-kneading white bread dough results in a tough, dense bread with a crumbly texture due to the gluten strands becoming too tight and breaking down.
Detailed Explanation:
Kneading is essential for developing gluten, the protein in wheat flour that gives bread its structure and elasticity. During kneading, gluten strands align and strengthen, creating a network that traps gases produced by yeast, allowing the dough to rise. However, over-kneading disrupts this network. Initially, the dough becomes very elastic and smooth. Continued kneading beyond this point causes the gluten strands to become overly tight and eventually break. This breakdown results in a dough that is slack, sticky, and difficult to handle. The final bread will be dense, tough, and may have a crumbly or uneven texture because the gluten structure is no longer able to properly support the loaf during baking. The bread may also have a less desirable flavor.
Pro Tip:
Use the 'windowpane test' to determine if your dough is kneaded enough. Take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If you can stretch it thin enough to see light through it without tearing, the gluten is sufficiently developed. If it tears easily, continue kneading. Stop kneading as soon as it passes the windowpane test to avoid over-kneading.