Vent: I was kneading dough for 15 minutes until a lady at the bakery counter set me straight
I've been making sandwich bread every Sunday since March and my loaves always came out dense and heavy, like little bricks. Last week I was at a bakery in Tucson and the lady working the counter asked how long I knead, and when I told her 15 minutes she just laughed. She said 8 to 10 minutes is plenty and that I was overworking the gluten, which was why mine never rose right. I tried it Sunday with 8 minutes and the loaf came out light and soft for the first time. Anyone else overwork their dough without knowing it?