"Boron Elgar" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:28:19 -0700, "Paul M. Cook" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Marcella Peek" > wrote in message
...
>>> In article >,
>>> Cheryl > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I've never mastered the art of bread making but have been trying some
>>>> lately since getting my new oven. I made some crusty french bread the
>>>> other day and the recipe I used made two big loaves so one is in the
>>>> freezer after the second raising but is uncooked. The first loaf turned
>>>> out really good but not light. Is french bread supposed to be that
>>>> way?
>>>> Very little in the way of holes but there were some in the seams. I
>>>> used a method that said to pinch all of the seams including the ends.
>>>>
>>>> How exactly do you knead bread? My ball didn't turn out smooth like
>>>> the
>>>> picture before I let it rise for an hour, actually a bit more, but it
>>>> more than doubled. I let it rise another half hour after forming the
>>>> loaves. I guess french bread will be different since there is no oil
>>>> or
>>>> eggs.
>>>
>>> Kneading organizes the gluten. The more you knead the tighter the crumb
>>> and the less likely you will have the large irregular holes of french
>>> bread.
>>
>>Kneading produces gluten. It turns the raw protein into long strands
>>hence
>>the elasticity.
>>
>>Paul
>>
> The gluten strands can form without kneading. All that great no-knead
> bread points you down that path.

I can see a war brewing. Pass.

Paul