stages oF Mixing BRead dough
in bread making, as with any baked item, the proper
execution of mixing is crucial to the quality of the
end product. When mixing bread dough, there are
four identifiable stages that signal changes in structure
and the stage of development of the dough.
sTage 1: pickup period
During the pickup period, the ingredients are blended
on low speed until just combined. The dough is a wet,
sticky, rough mass at this point.
sTage 2: cleanup period or
preliminary developmenT
The cleanup period is the preliminary development of
the dough. At this point the dough is being mixed at
a moderate speed and will appear somewhat rough.
sTage 3: iniTial developmenT period
During the initial development period, the elasticity
of the gluten begins to develop and the dough starts