To expand during both processes, the dough must be strong enough to retain the gas that’s produced. The largest volume increase comes during baking when the dough nearly doubles in volume in the oven. Most of the carbon dioxide production during fermentation happens in the final proofing stage. The tension created during shaping helps the dough expand at a steady rate, producing uniform loaves. Gluten strands tighten and reorganize once again as the dough is divided and shaped. A well-developed dough can be stretched so thin that it’s translucent. Bakers check gluten development by performing the windowpane test, which involves stretching a portion of dough in your hands. When the gluten network is strong enough, the dough can be shaped. During bulk fermentation, bakers periodically fold the resting dough to help align the gluten strands into an even, organized structure, which gives the dough the integrity it needs to expand as the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast and water vapor are introduced into the bubbles. Chains of gluten grow longer and stronger as more and more molecules stick together. Enzymes have even more time to act while the dough rests and begins to ferment. The network of gluten will continue to develop, gradually becoming stronger and more complex, up until the dough is fully proofed. Without this little protein tango, bread would be a very different thing: flatter, crumblier, denser, and less chewy. Protease is found in very small amounts in wheat flour an excess of it would cut gluten strands too much and have the opposite effect on the gluten network.Īs mixing continues and the ingredients transform into dough, the chains of proteins become more numerous and elongated they organize into a sort of webbing (the network can be seen in the image above, which was taken with a scanning electron microscope) that has both elasticity (the ability to stretch) and extensibility (the ability to hold a shape). Proteases (protein-snipping enzymes) begin cutting strands of gluten into smaller pieces that are able to make additional connections. More compact gliadin proteins allow the dough to flow like a fluid, whereas glutenins contribute strength.Īlthough hydration happens quickly, it takes time to form the chemical attachments that knit gluten proteins together into a strong network. These interlinked strands are among the largest protein molecules yet identified. The longer glutenin pieces link up with each other via disulfide bonds to form strong, stretchy units of molecules. When hydrated, the glutenin and gliadin proteins almost immediately bind and form gluten. Mixing is essential because it speeds up the hydration process and ensures that water is evenly dispersed throughout the flour. Mixing matters not because it is necessary to develop gluten you can develop gluten with minimal mixing (there really is no need to knead). The basic point of mixing is to hydrate flour. Gluten Developmentįrom a baker’s perspective, gluten development begins during mixing. Gluten development occurs when we add water to flour and let the enzymes work as they were intended. But a cascade of chemical reactions will still occur when the flour is hydrated because the materials that cause the reactions are still present. When we grind wheat flour, we destroy the structure of the seed (the cells and organelles), preventing germination. Either way you phrase it, the more gluten a flour can produce, the more able the dough is to hold gas bubbles, and those gas bubbles are what gives bread an open crumb.Īdding water to flour starts a chemical process that can eventually lead to gluten development. That’s why it’s more accurate to talk about the gluten potential of a particular flour, rather than its gluten content. Gluten is formed when two of wheat’s native proteins, glutenin and gliadin, come into contact with water. Gluten makes bread airy and satisfyingly chewy-it’s hard to imagine enjoying a chewy cake or a bread that crumbles like a cookie. Although bread begins with many of the same ingredients as cookies, pastries, cakes, and even shortbreads, it has a completely different consistency. Think of gluten as the miraculous net that holds bread together it helps dough rise by trapping gas bubbles during fermentation and gives bread its unique texture. In bread making, it’s exceedingly important. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products. Whether you avoid gluten or can’t get enough of it, we think it’s important to understand how it works. As Jimmy Kimmel discovered, there’s a bit of confusion about what gluten is and what it does. Gluten has gotten a bad rap lately-it was practically a four-letter word when we started working on Modernist Bread-but in the world of bread, it’s your friend.
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