I have previously tried this recipe, and wish to try it again this weekend (recipe follows at end of question). Since I don't have a mixer, I kneaded it by hand, for longer than the recipe stated, in order to reach the required texture. It could have been the substitute flour I used, or the fact that it didn't rise enough, or that the environment was too cold for the dough to rise, but the bread didn't work.
I am now wondering – is this recipe particularly intended for making with an electric mixer with dough hook? Can one convert it for hand kneading? And if so, is there a rule of thumb for converting between kneading times for electric mixers vs. hand kneading?
Sour Cherry & Walnut Stick (Yotam Ottolenghi, from his 'Ottolenghi' book)
160 ml luke warm water (not higher than 30C)
1.5 tsp active dried yeast
40 ml orange juice
250g country brown flour ("Allinson's country grain brown bread flour or Hovis granary flour) plus extra for dusting
65g buckwheat flour
1tsp salt
50g dried sour cherries
50g walnuts, roughly broken into pieces
(excerpt from method)
Stir the water/yeast in an electric mixer bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Then add OJ, mix, add both flours. Knead for 5 minutes at low speed w/ dough hook until the dough comes together.
Scrape the dough in the bowl, then add salt and knead for 4 miuntes on high. Dough should be smoother and silky. Add cherries & walnuts and mix on medium for one minute.
Knead by hand, turning the dough until you can no longer see the walnuts/cherries and the dough is smooth. Put the dough (shaped into a ball) in a large bowl, covered w/ a damp cloth, for about 1.5 hours in a warm place – or until dough has doubled.
Best Answer
If I were to convert a machine kneading time to hand kneading time, I'd take the time and at least double it, perhaps between double and triple, depending on how strong/vigorous you are.
The odds of over-kneading by hand are pretty low, as compared to by machine.
I would guess that the flour substitutions or the coldness were more of an issue than the kneading. I've not heard of this book or either of the flours mentioned, but I do know that mileage can vary a LOT with wholegrain flours, and even basic white flours depending on where you live, due to changes in protein contents for regional differences.