What is the purpose and effect of using knuckles when kneading bread dough?












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Some recipes specify that the baker's knuckles should be used when kneading the dough. What is the purpose and effect of using one's knuckles as part of the kneading process?






bread kneading







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    4















    Some recipes specify that the baker's knuckles should be used when kneading the dough. What is the purpose and effect of using one's knuckles as part of the kneading process?






    bread kneading







    share|improve this question

























      4












      4








      4








      Some recipes specify that the baker's knuckles should be used when kneading the dough. What is the purpose and effect of using one's knuckles as part of the kneading process?






      bread kneading







      share|improve this question














      Some recipes specify that the baker's knuckles should be used when kneading the dough. What is the purpose and effect of using one's knuckles as part of the kneading process?






      bread kneading




      bread kneading






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      asked 3 hours ago









      KnightKnight

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          I don't think that it is really necessary to use your knuckles. Rather, there are ways to knead dough well, and ways to knead dough badly. I have seen ineffective people pinching the dough, or turning it between their hands, or other strange motions, which in a cargo-cult way resemble actual kneading, but don't do anything useful.



          My guess is that whoever writes such instructions has learned a correct way of kneading that involves the knuckles, and writes down the admonishment to remind people that they have to do it right for the recipe to work well. The reason for the choice of label may be because the author is unaware that there are effective kneading methods which don't use the knuckles, or because the author has taught new kneaders and has found out that "use your knuckles" is a good cue to get them to use the right kind of motion.



          A third possibility is that the author is referring specifically to the punching down step of a double-rise bread process. In that case, the motion between the first and second rise is not the same as standard kneading, and maybe the author wanted to underscore the difference.






          share|improve this answer































            1














            Maybe knuckles impart more force compared to just using extended fingers (or the palm of your hands) when kneading the dough ?



            I assume the "use knuckles" step is when you punch the dough after the first rise; it is just easier.






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              This may not be the primary reason but I have hot hands and my knuckles are noticeably cooler than my palms or even the insides of my fingers. It's less of an issue with dough than with pastry but I still find that kneading with my palms makes the dough sticky compared to using my knuckles.






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                3 Answers
                3






                active

                oldest

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                3 Answers
                3






                active

                oldest

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                active

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                active

                oldest

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                6














                I don't think that it is really necessary to use your knuckles. Rather, there are ways to knead dough well, and ways to knead dough badly. I have seen ineffective people pinching the dough, or turning it between their hands, or other strange motions, which in a cargo-cult way resemble actual kneading, but don't do anything useful.



                My guess is that whoever writes such instructions has learned a correct way of kneading that involves the knuckles, and writes down the admonishment to remind people that they have to do it right for the recipe to work well. The reason for the choice of label may be because the author is unaware that there are effective kneading methods which don't use the knuckles, or because the author has taught new kneaders and has found out that "use your knuckles" is a good cue to get them to use the right kind of motion.



                A third possibility is that the author is referring specifically to the punching down step of a double-rise bread process. In that case, the motion between the first and second rise is not the same as standard kneading, and maybe the author wanted to underscore the difference.






                share|improve this answer




























                  6














                  I don't think that it is really necessary to use your knuckles. Rather, there are ways to knead dough well, and ways to knead dough badly. I have seen ineffective people pinching the dough, or turning it between their hands, or other strange motions, which in a cargo-cult way resemble actual kneading, but don't do anything useful.



                  My guess is that whoever writes such instructions has learned a correct way of kneading that involves the knuckles, and writes down the admonishment to remind people that they have to do it right for the recipe to work well. The reason for the choice of label may be because the author is unaware that there are effective kneading methods which don't use the knuckles, or because the author has taught new kneaders and has found out that "use your knuckles" is a good cue to get them to use the right kind of motion.



                  A third possibility is that the author is referring specifically to the punching down step of a double-rise bread process. In that case, the motion between the first and second rise is not the same as standard kneading, and maybe the author wanted to underscore the difference.






                  share|improve this answer


























                    6












                    6








                    6







                    I don't think that it is really necessary to use your knuckles. Rather, there are ways to knead dough well, and ways to knead dough badly. I have seen ineffective people pinching the dough, or turning it between their hands, or other strange motions, which in a cargo-cult way resemble actual kneading, but don't do anything useful.



                    My guess is that whoever writes such instructions has learned a correct way of kneading that involves the knuckles, and writes down the admonishment to remind people that they have to do it right for the recipe to work well. The reason for the choice of label may be because the author is unaware that there are effective kneading methods which don't use the knuckles, or because the author has taught new kneaders and has found out that "use your knuckles" is a good cue to get them to use the right kind of motion.



                    A third possibility is that the author is referring specifically to the punching down step of a double-rise bread process. In that case, the motion between the first and second rise is not the same as standard kneading, and maybe the author wanted to underscore the difference.






                    share|improve this answer













                    I don't think that it is really necessary to use your knuckles. Rather, there are ways to knead dough well, and ways to knead dough badly. I have seen ineffective people pinching the dough, or turning it between their hands, or other strange motions, which in a cargo-cult way resemble actual kneading, but don't do anything useful.



                    My guess is that whoever writes such instructions has learned a correct way of kneading that involves the knuckles, and writes down the admonishment to remind people that they have to do it right for the recipe to work well. The reason for the choice of label may be because the author is unaware that there are effective kneading methods which don't use the knuckles, or because the author has taught new kneaders and has found out that "use your knuckles" is a good cue to get them to use the right kind of motion.



                    A third possibility is that the author is referring specifically to the punching down step of a double-rise bread process. In that case, the motion between the first and second rise is not the same as standard kneading, and maybe the author wanted to underscore the difference.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered 2 hours ago









                    rumtscho♦rumtscho

                    80.1k27187352




                    80.1k27187352

























                        1














                        Maybe knuckles impart more force compared to just using extended fingers (or the palm of your hands) when kneading the dough ?



                        I assume the "use knuckles" step is when you punch the dough after the first rise; it is just easier.






                        share|improve this answer




























                          1














                          Maybe knuckles impart more force compared to just using extended fingers (or the palm of your hands) when kneading the dough ?



                          I assume the "use knuckles" step is when you punch the dough after the first rise; it is just easier.






                          share|improve this answer


























                            1












                            1








                            1







                            Maybe knuckles impart more force compared to just using extended fingers (or the palm of your hands) when kneading the dough ?



                            I assume the "use knuckles" step is when you punch the dough after the first rise; it is just easier.






                            share|improve this answer













                            Maybe knuckles impart more force compared to just using extended fingers (or the palm of your hands) when kneading the dough ?



                            I assume the "use knuckles" step is when you punch the dough after the first rise; it is just easier.







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered 2 hours ago









                            MaxMax

                            9,42211827




                            9,42211827























                                0














                                This may not be the primary reason but I have hot hands and my knuckles are noticeably cooler than my palms or even the insides of my fingers. It's less of an issue with dough than with pastry but I still find that kneading with my palms makes the dough sticky compared to using my knuckles.






                                share|improve this answer




























                                  0














                                  This may not be the primary reason but I have hot hands and my knuckles are noticeably cooler than my palms or even the insides of my fingers. It's less of an issue with dough than with pastry but I still find that kneading with my palms makes the dough sticky compared to using my knuckles.






                                  share|improve this answer


























                                    0












                                    0








                                    0







                                    This may not be the primary reason but I have hot hands and my knuckles are noticeably cooler than my palms or even the insides of my fingers. It's less of an issue with dough than with pastry but I still find that kneading with my palms makes the dough sticky compared to using my knuckles.






                                    share|improve this answer













                                    This may not be the primary reason but I have hot hands and my knuckles are noticeably cooler than my palms or even the insides of my fingers. It's less of an issue with dough than with pastry but I still find that kneading with my palms makes the dough sticky compared to using my knuckles.







                                    share|improve this answer












                                    share|improve this answer



                                    share|improve this answer










                                    answered 3 hours ago









                                    Chris HChris H

                                    18.7k13554




                                    18.7k13554






























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