The Fresh Loaf

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using a mixer to knead the dough

cobourger's picture
cobourger

using a mixer to knead the dough

Has anyone used a stand mixer with the hook attachment to knead your dough?   I have a problem with my hands and can't knead the dough for 10 minutes or so and wondered if it would work with my mixer?

cobourger

 

fminparis's picture
fminparis

Of course. You can use the stand mixer and hook (5-7 minutes) or Cuisinart with steel blade, 1 minute (what I use).

mimifix's picture
mimifix

I, too, have problems with my hands and find the dough hook is excellent for kneading in my 7 qt. Rival mixer. When my hands are especially cranky I use a breadmachine for the dough then bake the bread in my oven.

Mimi

PaddyL's picture
PaddyL

I use the dough hook in my KitchenAid to knead my breads, though I usually give them a bit of a hand knead at the end, depending on how my hands are at the time.  One of my regular breads is so big that I have to divide it in two in order to get both lots done, then I put the two together and knead them briefly.  I have to be in pretty good shape to do that, though.  When I first got the KA, I swore I would NEVER use the dough hook, but that was back then, before the arthritis kicked in.

ehanner's picture
ehanner

I suggest you approach the problem from the standpoint of learning that you not only don't need to use a mixer to knead, you don't NEED to knead, at all. I'm not even referring to the now famous No Knead method of Mr. Jim Lahey. If you use your mixer to incorporate the ingredients for a few minutes, time and a few stretch and folds will easily take care of dough development. This non stressful method has been used for many hundreds of years by bakers who turned out many loaves from community bakeries with no electricity. Yes, you can use your mixer to knead, as commercial bakeries do. I think you would like the flavor and consistency of the bread better if you didn't.

Eric

hanseata's picture
hanseata

If you work with pre-doughs the actual kneading time both with your hands or the dough hook is very short.

I knead my bigas and starters 1-2 minutes for the ingredients to come together, let them rest for 5 minutes, then resume kneading for another 2 minutes. The final dough takes 1-2 minutes mixing/5 minutes autolyse/4 minutes kneading. That's all.

Stretching and folding the dough needs initial mixing/kneading, too. Though I like this method, and use it now and then, you have are busy with it for at least 50 minutes, even though most of it is waiting for the dough to rest.

Eric, I really didn't taste any difference in my stand mixer kneaded, hand kneaded, or S & F made breads!

Karin