Reader Question: Can You Over Knead Fresh Milled Sourdough Dough? 🤔
This is a fantastic question, and I am so glad Daniel sent it in. If you have ever worked with fresh milled flour, you have probably wondered the same thing. Sometimes the dough looks strong, sometimes it tears, and sometimes it feels like you need to mix forever. So what is actually going on?
Let us break it down.
Why fresh milled flour behaves differently
When you mill flour at home, you are working with the entire grain. That means more bran, more fibre, and more little sharp edges floating around in your dough. Those bits interrupt gluten as it forms, which is why fresh milled dough often looks weaker at the start.
This leads people to think they need an extra long mix to build strength. And sometimes that is true. But not always.
Is it possible to over mix?
The short answer: yes, but it is harder than you think.
The longer answer: it depends on your mixer, your flour, your hydration, and your method.
High hydration sourdough doughs are very forgiving. They take a long time to show signs of over mixing, and most home mixers do not have the power to destroy the gluten unless they run for a long time. In practice, most people under mix rather than over mix.
But there is another side to this.
When I baked with Alexandre Laumain, he mixed much shorter than I was used to. His goal was to avoid excess oxidation. Oxidation can strip colour and flavour from the dough and give the crumb a slightly dull look. His loaves were creamy, delicate and beautifully open, partly because he preserved the dough by mixing as little as possible.
Both approaches are valid. They simply depend on your goals and your flour.
So how do you know when to stop mixing?
Here is a simple way to think about it:
Use the dough, not the clock.
Dough will always tell you the truth.
Look for:
- a smooth elastic surface
- dough that stretches without tearing
- dough that lifts cleanly from the bowl
- dough that sticks to itself
If your dough looks strong and supple, stop. If it tears easily, keep going.
A few practical tips for all bakers
Start with a shorter mix.
You can always add strength with folds, but you cannot undo oxidation.
Use your folds wisely.
Coil folds and stretch and folds build structure without the risk of over mixing.
Mind your hydration.
Higher hydration doughs need more mixing. Lower hydration doughs tighten faster.
Expect fresh milled flour to behave differently.
Give it time. It often needs more hydration and more patience.
Want to Go Deeper Into Fresh Milled Flour?
If this topic gets you excited (or mildly obsessed like I was), here is a full guide that explains why fresh flour behaves the way it does, how to mill at home, and how fresh flour can transform your baking.
Whole Wheat Pita Bread 🥙
This recipe is one of the first things I ever put on the blog, and it still holds up today. It is simple, fast, and so good that it has become a regular part of our meals at home and at work. There is also a close version in my book if you have a copy of Bread Etc.
Pita is one of those breads that makes you feel like a magician. You roll out a little round of dough, pop it into a blazing hot oven, and suddenly it inflates like a balloon. The puff comes from steam, and it creates that perfect pocket we all love. It is quick, inexpensive and a great bread to add to your regular rotation.
A few tips for success
• Roll the dough evenly so it can puff properly
• Make sure your stone, steel or cast-iron pan is very hot before the first bake
• Stack the pitas and keep them covered with a towel so they stay soft
At work this week I made a batch and served it with smoked chicken, roasted brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potato, shredded cabbage, tomato, cucumber and feta salad, a tzatziki and a homemade tahini sauce. It was one of those meals that looks simple but hits every note. Warm pitas on the side just make the whole thing feel complete.
If you want to try this one at home ,you can grab the full recipe on the blog.
Holiday Cranberry White Chocolate Granola ✨🎄
I made granola this week for a special micro bakery order of fifteen jars, and somehow we ended up making fifty. No regrets. This stuff disappears fast in our house. It is one of those recipes that is simple, forgiving, and perfect for gifting. Make one jar for yourself or make ten for friends and teachers. It feels like a holiday hug in a jar.
The best part is how easy it is to change the inclusions. The base stays the same, but you can swap the fruit and nuts for whatever you love. Since we are moving into holiday mode, this version has dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and little white chocolate chunks folded in at the end. It tastes like Christmas morning. Trust me, you will love it.
We also make yogurt and granola jars for those busy mornings with the girls. Fruit, yogurt, granola, a drizzle of maple, and out the door. It is a lifesaver.
Here is the holiday version of our favourite granola:
Cranberry White Chocolate Holiday Granola
Yield: about 750 grams (three jars)
Dry Mix
Rolled oats: 200 g
Pecans: 60 g
Pumpkin seeds: 40 g
Sesame seeds: 30 g
Coconut flakes: 40 g
Flax seeds: 40 g
Salt: 5 g
Cinnamon: 5 g
Wet Mix
Pure maple syrup: 100 g
Coconut oil: 150 g
Inclusions
Dried cranberries: 150 g (fold in after baking)
White chocolate chunks: 125 g (fold in after baking)
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F). Line a baking sheet.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Warm the coconut oil and stir in the maple syrup.
- Combine and coat the dry mix with the warm syrup mixture.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until golden.
- Cool completely so it gets nice and crunchy.
- Fold in the white chocolate once the granola is fully cool.
- Store in jars for up to two weeks.
Rhonda’s Pullman Loaf – Bread Etc. Reader Bake 🍞✨
One of the best parts of writing a cookbook is seeing what people make from it, and this week, Rhonda absolutely made my day. She baked the Pullman loaf from Bread Etc and it came out beautiful. Golden top, clean sides, perfect shape, and that soft, even crumb you hope for in a classic sandwich bread. She really did an amazing job.
Getting photos like this always reminds me why I wrote Bread Etc. I wanted to create a book that gives home bakers clear steps, useful tips, and the confidence to bake great bread without guessing. Seeing someone take a recipe and bring it to life in their kitchen is the coolest thing, and it never stops feeling special.
And since we are heading into the holiday season, I should mention that Bread Etc. has quietly become a pretty great gift. It is a national bestseller now, and it was listed in the Toronto Star as one of the top-selling cookbooks of the week. If you have a friend who loves baking or someone who keeps texting you pictures of their starter asking if it looks ok, this book really does make a thoughtful present.
If you have already picked up a copy, thank you. And if you bake the Pullman loaf, or anything else from the book, I would love to see it.
This week in the micro bakery 🕺-Olive & Cheddar Sourdough 🫒🧀
I baked an olive cheddar sourdough this week in the studio and it instantly became the perfect partner for the cabbage, caramelized onion and farro soup I made at home. There is something about a savoury loaf beside a hot bowl of soup that just feels right in December. The briny olives and pockets of melted cheese make this bread so comforting, especially when the weather turns cold.
If you want something in the same family but a little more polished, try my Fig and Olive Sourdough on the blog. It has that same salty sweet balance with a beautiful open crumb. It is one of those loaves that looks impressive on the table but is very simple to pull off once you fold in the inclusions properly.
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Happy Baking,
MJD
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Want to learn more from me? Check out my online video resources 👇
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