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It sounds like the tutorial is saying (a video link with a time stamp)

I've just kneaded the dough in my stand mixer, you can also do it by hand if you'd like until it's nice and soft and smooth about five minutes

there are at least 2 possible time ranges: one is

kneading the dough for about five minutes before the dough is nice and soft"

another is

the dough has turned into the soft and smooth state, and then kneading the dough for about five minutes

which time range does "until about" refer to?

Is there need to be a "for" here which is commonly used in "do sth. for five minutes"? So, the original one is rewritten as this

I've just kneaded the dough in my stand mixer, you can also do it by hand if you'd like until it's nice and soft and smooth for about five minutes

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  • This is a common trope in recipe instructions -- give the time required for some process (here kneading) until some state has been reached (here soft, smooth dough) and then repeat the required time with a direct time span (here, about five minutes). So it means that it will take about five minutes for kneading to make the dough soft and smooth. A transcript would put a comma after "smooth."
    – user105719
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 5:25
  • @user105719 once dough reaches the state of soft and smooth, I could stop kneading, and I don't need another 5 minutes, right?
    – peterpanai
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 5:35
  • Have you made bread before? (I recommend it.) The object of kneading is to develop the gluten (proteins in the flour) to form a matrix that will support the rise. When the dough is soft and smooth (as opposed to tough and shaggy), you're done. No need to knead more. (Pun intended.)
    – user105719
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 5:43
  • @user105719 Thanks for your comment. Sadly, I never made a bread before. Is there need to be a "for" here which is commonly used in "do sth. for five minutes"?
    – peterpanai
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 5:52
  • If you mean do you need the preposition for in the phrase "do something for some length of time," the answer is yes. There are a limited number of verbs that take two objects, and to do isn't one of them.'
    – user105719
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 6:13

1 Answer 1

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The time is just a rough estimate. Let’s break the sentence down a bit:

I've just kneaded the dough in my stand mixer,
[you can also do it by hand if you'd like]
until it's nice and soft and smooth,
(which should take) about five minutes.

Ignoring the part about kneading by hand, the recipe author / video narrator says that the dough should reach a certain state and gives a time, how long that process (usually) takes in their machine.

The state is the determining factor, the time is secondary.

Note that this is a transcript from spoken language, so omitting short sequences (like the bit I filled in as sort of interpretation) is typical, especially for an audience that will be familiar with the general process of kneading.

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  • Thank you! Your answer is very helpful. Does "how low" in "how low that process (usually) takes in their machine" mean "how much"?
    – peterpanai
    Commented Feb 6, 2020 at 1:31
  • @peterpanai no. It’s a typo. Fixed it.
    – Stephie
    Commented Feb 6, 2020 at 5:12

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