Traditional baguettes by hand

Step 2 I need you to knead me

Using your scraper, plop your shaggy mess out onto the counter, and scrape any flour that is still in the bowl out with it.
Now, this part is sticky and messy, but it's important to remember that the dough will come together in a few minutes of working it. You want to try to avoid adding flour at this stage because it will make your bread really tough and hard to rise. You may want to flour your hands a little, and maybe add a tablespoon or less of flour to your work surface, but what you really want is to work the ingredients you've already got into a smooth elastic dough.
I know, at this stage, it seems hard to believe this sticky glue ball will do that...but trust me...it does.
Initially try to incorporate any flour that was left in your bowl. Then pushing and pulling the dough, start folding it over itself, then change directions and fold again. Keep doing this. It adds air to the mix, and activates the gluten and the yeast.
Keep kneading and folding until your dough becomes elastic and stretchy.I usually pick up an end and swing it out, then fold it back on itself, then fold that rectangle in half, lengthwise.
This process takes about 10 minutes to get it to a smooth, elastic texture.
Here's a slideshow of me doing it. You can see how the dough goes from sticky and shaggy to smooth and elastic as air gets worked in, and the gluten starts to develop.

Comments

[jamiec53]

:) That was a Cheap Trick

[SoapyHollow]

Hee! :)