Kneading Bread by Machine...

Learning to knead bread by hand is really wonderful- and you learn by "feel" and texture, when the bread is just "right". But what if you're new to a machine? How is it supposed to "look", when you can't feel it?

Well, I snapped a pic of some whole wheat bread dough in my kitchen aid to show you how it kneads up when its "right"! You can see that the bread is in a "U" shape. There is some at the bottom but notice the dough comes up on both sides of the bowl. It will stay, for the most part, in a long shape, curled in a "U", sometimes folding into itself.

If its too sticky, it won't do this. You will need more flour.

If it stays in one big lump and just spins round and round, you've added too much flour and will need to begin to VERY gradually add small amounts of water; like a tablespoon at a time...you'd be surprised how far water can go with dough! ;-)

The same holds somewhat true in a bread machine. It won't, in most machines, make a "U" shape, but it will keep folding over itself. If its too sticky, more flour is needed. If its turning in one lump, almost never touching the side, gradual water is needed.
Happy Baking!