knead
NEED
/niːd/
To work moistened flour or clay into dough or paste with the hands.
The goal of kneading in baking is to develop the gluten network by stretching and folding the proteins.
The story behind the word. The word comes from the Old English 'cnedan', which has remained virtually unchanged for over a thousand years. It is a Germanic word that has always described the physical act of compressing and stretching a soft substance.
Word relationships
- work: A more general term for manipulating a substance.
- massage: Implies a gentler touch, whereas kneading is usually vigorous.
Commonly confused with
- fold: Folding is a gentler way of incorporating air or ingredients without developing as much gluten.
Word family
- kneader (noun): A person or machine that kneads.
- kneading (noun): The act of working dough.
Collocations
- knead by hand
- knead the dough
- rhythmic kneading
Example sentences
- "Knead the dough until it is smooth and springy to the touch." A classic bread recipe.
- "She began to knead the heavy mass of dough, her rhythmic movements stretching the gluten." Describing the physical effort of baking.
Memory hook
You 'Knead' to 'Knead' the dough to make it good. Knead: working the dough.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'need' (requirement).
Fun facts
- Over-kneading is almost impossible by hand but very easy to do with a powerful stand mixer.
- The 'windowpane test' is used after kneading to see if the gluten is developed enough to stretch thin without tearing.
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