EXPERIMENTAL MILLING AND BAKING. 21 
KNEADING THE DOUGH. 
Kneading the dough is a very important step in baking. During 
this operation the sugar and the remainder of the flour and water 
are- added. Each batch of dough is given the same amount of knead- 
ing, that is, approximately 450 revolutions of the fast blade of the 
mixer. The number of revolutions is counted by means of a cyclome- 
ter attached to the driving shaft of the mixer. About 4 minutes 
elapse from the beginning of the kneading of one dough to that of 
the succeeding one. 
It is during the kneading process that the baker gets his first idea 
of the baking strength of the flour. The manner in which the dough 
works up, its water-absorbing capacity, and its feel and appearance 
during the fermentation period all enable the baker to judge to some 
extent the quality of the gluten in the flour and the quality of bread 
that will be produced. 
KNOCKING DOWN, MOULDING, AND PRICKING. 
Knocking down consists in folding the dough a certain number 
of times to make it into a compact mass, to liberate most of the gas, 
Side view. End view. View of cut loaf. 
Fig. 18.— Views of experimental loaf. 
and to bring other particles of dough which may not have already 
been acted upon in closer contact with the active yeast cells. 
Moulding is the folding and shaping of the dough mass into the 
semblance of a loaf preparatory to panning, and is similar to knock- 
ing down, except that special care is taken to secure a smooth, 
unbroken top surface. 
After being panned the dough is pricked with a stiff wire about 
the size of a hat pin to break the gas bubbles which may have formed 
near the top surface. 
WHEN TO PLACE IN OVEN. 
The dough is placed in the oven when it has nearly reached its 
maximum expansion. This condition is judged from the surface 
appearance and shape of the dough and is reached about 50 to 100 
minutes after the time of panning/ The actual time required depends 
largely upon the quality of the flour and the activity of the yeast. 
About 50 minutes after the dough is panned, a close watch is begun 
for indications that the dough is in proper condition for baking. 
Doughs will expand two to three and one-half times their volume at 
panning time before they are ready for the oven. 
