ture of the interconnected gluten proteins. Kneading unfolds and aligns the protein molecules, but there are still loops and kinks along their lengths. Stretching the dough straightens out these loops and kinks, but when the pressure is relieved, the molecules tend to revert to their origi- nal kinkiness. In addition, the coiled spring-like structure of individual proteins can extend and store some of the energy of stretching, but when the stretching is stopped, the molecules spring back to their compact coiled form. The visible result of these submicroscopic events: the stretched dough creeps back toward its original shape.