Before we get into the debate on which is better, we should first investigate the process of kneading the dough. What is it, what happens, and why do it? This isn’t an article on the techniques of kneading pizza dough, rather an opportunity to discuss both methods and highlight their advantages and disadvantages.
Why Do We Need To Knead Pizza Dough?
Flour contains two proteins, gliadin and glutenin, which combine to form gluten. When the pizza dough is first mixed, the proteins are all mixed up and knotted together in no particular order. However, when the dough is kneaded, the proteins line up to form large chains of amino acids that form a matrix within the dough itself. Kneading also assists with distributing the yeast evenly throughout the pizza dough. This process, along with the warmth in the dough created by the mixing, is what leads to the dough trapping gasses released by the yeast which results in the dough rising.
Basically, kneading will bring the pizza dough together, developing gluten strands, and creating a silky, firm dough. The protein strands align, creating a gluten matrix in the dough that traps air and helps the bread rise.
Kneading By Hand
Kneading the pizza dough by hand is the easiest way to control it’s consistency. Some may say that it is the most fun part about making pizza (eating it is much better though!!). Kneading by hand gives you full control over the finished texture of your dough. There are countless techniques to knead your pizza dough by hand, but they almost all involve punching, folding and stretching repeatedly.
If you knead your pizza dough by hand, it will take about 10 minutes for enough gluten to form. Adding the flour slowly to the dough as you knead helps prevent sticking, but don’t overdo it – too much flour can make the dough tough and crumbly. The well-kneaded dough springs back when you poke it, and it should have a soft and silky feel.
Kneading With A Mixer
Your pizza dough can also be kneaded in a stand mixer (with a dough hook attachment) or bread machine. While using a bread machine to mix your dough is almost fool proof (they should always have the correct settings/timing), a stand mixer will require a little more attention. It is quite easy to over-knead your dough in a stand mixer. Kneading in a stand mixer should only take about eight minutes – the first three to four minutes should be mixing on slow, until the sides of the bowl are clean. Then mix for a further three to four minutes on a slightly higher speed until the dough forms a ball.
How To Tell When Your Dough Is Perfectly Kneaded
Your dough is ‘under kneaded’ if it is still floppy, unstructured and tears easily. Your dough is ‘over kneaded’ if it becomes tough and hard to knead further.
To know when your dough is ready, you can perform the ‘Window Test’ – take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it until it is thin enough to see through. Hold it up against the light – if it stays in one piece and you can see through it, it is ready. If it rips easily, it needs more kneading. Your dough ball should feel nicely elastic and bounce back when you poke it with your finger.
Hand Kneading: Advantages
Using a stand mixer will save saves time and effort, but kneading your pizza dough by hand does have advantages. If you’re working with your hands, you can’t over knead the dough (as long as you are paying attention to what you are doing!). According to some dough experts, hand kneading can increase gluten formation. The more gluten, the better the texture of the finished dough. Also, when kneading the dough with your hands, you can feel the development and change in the consistency of the dough – this is the gluten forming as you knead the dough.
Stand Mixer: Advantages
One of the main advantages of using a stand mixer to knead your pizza dough is the ease in which you can do it. You don’t have to clear a large area on your counter or get your hands ‘dirty’. Stand mixers are also an easier (ie: less sticky) way to knead high hydration pizza dough. It can be a messy job if doing it by hand. A stand mixer will make light work of kneading a very heavy dough – that means no strain you your hands and arms!
Hand Kneading: Disadvantages
There aren’t too many serious disadvantages to hand kneading your pizza dough. When kneading wet dough by hand, it can be tempting to add extra flour to make the dough more manageable. However, adding too much flour will make the resulting dough tough (not light and airy as we want in a good pizza dough). The work of kneading by hand is also very messy. You usually end up with flour all over the counter and the dough sticks to your fingers – then everything else you touch! Plus, it’s tiring work, and can be a little rough on your arms and wrists.
Stand Mixer: Disadvantages
Stand mixers are potentially not an overly dough-friendly appliance. They can treat your pizza dough fairly rough and can break strands of developed gluten which will affect the finished quality. Over mixing can also cause the dough to overheat, sometimes up to three degrees per minute while kneading. When kneading in a food processor, the temperature of the dough can rise up to 3 degrees per minute. If the dough gets too warm, it can rise too quickly, causing it to over-proof. Kneading heavy dough can also be bad for the stand mixer. If the motor is old or too small, you could potentially break it. For some, another disadvantage of the stand mixer is the cost. Whilst there are numerous options available, if you don’t use it regularly, it may not be a worth-while expense (however, we don’t necessarily agree with this).
Conclusion
Well…….unfortunately there is no one correct answer. As we have discussed above, there are pros and cons to both hand kneading and using a stand mixer. How you knead your pizza dough is personal preference, really. However, if you look at many pizza making tutorials, you will see that a lot will use both methods. Start with the machine mixer and then finish with hand kneading. Hand kneading feels more authentic and you get a better feel for your dough. Its fun, and you can get the kids involved as well. Here at Best Home Pizza Ovens, we like to use the stand mixer for about six to seven minutes, then turn the pizza dough out onto your dusted surface. Finish with about five more minutes of hand kneading.
Either way, you’ll be eating delicious pizza in no time!
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