Kneading
Working dough by pressing, folding and stretching it to develop its structure.
Also: knead
Kneading mixes the ingredients of a dough evenly and, in wheat doughs, builds gluten. As the dough is pushed and folded, its proteins link into long elastic sheets that can hold gas. A well-kneaded bread dough feels smooth and springs back when pressed. Bread needs a lot of kneading or a long rest that does the same job. Pastry and cake need very little, because strong gluten would make them tough. Noodle doughs are kneaded hard for chew.