Mixing Methods

1. The mixing action blends the water with the flour so the flour proteins can hydrate. This is the first step in the development of gluten.
2. Air is mixed into the dough. The oxygen in the air reacts with the gluten and helps strengthen it and make it more elastic.
3. The mixing action develops the gluten by stretching and aligning the gluten strands into an elastic network.

In the case of bread dough, the dough is soft and sticky at first. As the gluten develops, the dough becomes smooth and less sticky. When the dough reaches the ideal state of development, it is said to be mature. If mixing continues, gluten strands break and the dough becomes sticky and stringy. Overmixing results in poor loaf volume, because the broken gluten is no longer able to support the structure.