The Food Science Blog

Harold McGee, a well-known food science and chemistry writer, wrote an article in his Curious Cook column entitled "Better Bread with Less Kneading" which discusses the workings of the bread dough's gluten protein and how kneading certain types of flour doughs produce different types of gluten structures.  Gluten is responsible for the chewiness and firmness of almost all wheat flour based goods.  When kneaded, gluten forms due to the cross-link of glutenin molecules and also joins with gliadin to form a more viscous mix.

A nice point in the article is summed up in this quote:

So doughs of a certain wetness and little or no kneading can make
delicious bread. But beware of other “revolutionary” ideas that are
little more than industrial shortcuts on a small scale. This is true
above all for methods that save time and effort with large doses of
yeast. The doughs rise in a couple of hours, but the breads are harsh
and acrid with instant-yeast flavor. Whole-grain flours or other
flavorful ingredients can mask it, but only partly.

Head over to the New York Times article and see what you think.

The Curious Cook - Better Bread with Less Kneading