Over-kneading nearly killed my sourdough dreams, but I found the fix...

I was working the dough too long, developing excess gluten that led to dense loaves. By learning to stop at the windowpane stage, my bread now has the perfect crumb. How do you judge when your dough is ready to proof?

3 comments

3 Comments

fisher.dylan1mo agoMost Upvoted

Interesting. How do you account for variables like dough temperature or hydration level when using the windowpane test? I've noticed that with higher hydration doughs, the windowpane can be deceptive because it stretches easily even if under-kneaded. My kitchen's ambient humidity has led to some frustrating misreads, so I've started combining the test with checking how the dough holds its shape after a fold.

tara_smith821mo ago

Wow, hearing that over-kneading nearly killed a sourdough starter has me shook! I mean, we always hear about under-kneading being the devil, but gluten turning into a straightjacket for yeast? That's a new level of baking horror. Totally get what fisher.dylan is saying about hydration messing with the windowpane test; my high-hydration doughs have fooled me more times than I'd like to admit. Combining it with shape retention after a fold is smart, because sometimes that stretch is just too eager to please. Honestly, ambient humidity in my kitchen has led to so many misreads that I've started trusting the dough's bounce-back way more than any single test.

evan_cooper1mo ago

Seriously, over-kneading almost ended your sourdough journey? That's wild because most beginner advice warns about under-development, not going too far. My method relies heavily on the windowpane test, but I also judge by when the dough cleans the bowl and feels supple. Once it stretches thin without tearing and springs back slowly, it's proofing time. Learning that over-kneaded gluten can strangle the rise was a game-changer for my own bakes. Now I handle the dough much more gently and watch for those visual cues like a hawk.