Can we talk about why people overmix their dough?

Had a talk with my aunt last weekend, she's been baking for 40 years and she watched me making my usual batch of dinner rolls. She said I was beating the life out of the dough. I thought I was being thorough but she showed me how to stop mixing as soon as the flour is just combined. First batch I tried her way came out so much lighter, not dense like before. It hit different because she didn't lecture me, just let me feel the difference in my own hands with the same recipe. Now I'm wondering how many other bad habits I picked up from watching those overedited baking videos online. Anyone else have a family member call them out on something simple like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_fiona1mo ago

The thing about those online videos is they cut out all the waiting and just show the kneading, so it looks like you have to keep going for ages. Your aunt sounds like a smart lady, sometimes the best lessons are the quiet ones where someone just shows you a different way. That light, fluffy texture is hard to beat once you know what to look for.

valsullivan1mo ago

I get that, but I actually disagree - the waiting is where you learn the most.