Kneading is the process of mixing dough until it becomes smooth and pliable. Kneading may be done by hand or a dough hook. I tend to knead by hand as that is what I have become accustomed to the last three decades. The following is my technique for kneading and it has served me well over the years.
You begin by gathering the dough into a pile on a lightly floured surface. Start by folding the dough over itself and using the palm of you hand to push the dough against the surface, pressing forward, folding over once again and turning the dough slighly, approximately an eighth of a turn. Keep repeating this process.
Knead for 10-15 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until smooth, pliable and the dough passes the window pane test. This test is when you are able to stretch the dough into a very thin film that you can practically see through without the dough breaking.
