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Kitchenaid dough hook problem
I have had a KitchenAid Artesian mixer for about 6 years. I have used the dough hook with no problem until the past several months. I am following the white bread recipe that came with the mixer, and once I switch to the dough hook (I'm on speed 2), it all falls apart. The dough will form into a ball, cleaning the sides of the bowl, for about 10 seconds. Then it just falls apart into a sticky mess. I add a bit of flour and it starts to clean up, then falls apart again. Today, I pulled it out of the bowl and kneaded it by hand until it was smooth and elastic and not sticky. Just to see what would happen, I put it back in the bowl with the dough hook, and within a few seconds, it was a sticky mess again.
I can tell that my motor is struggling with the dough. I can hear it bog down, then pick back up. The next speed, however, seems too fast.
Has anyone had this issue before? Anything else I can try?
Thanks!
Alison
Did you switch to a different brand of flour about the same time you started experiencing the problem? Different temperatures in your kitchen? Something else?
If you are using the same recipe, then you know that hasn't changed. If you are using the same mixer, then you know that hasn't changed. So, look somewhere else because something has changed. It may be in your ingredients, in your environment, or in your techniques. Think back. What (other than the outcome) is different today than it was before this problem emerged?
Paul
Hi Paul,
I moved to North Carolina! I'm from the Phoenix area, so the climate was the biggest change. Some ingredients (like the brand of sugar I used to use) are not available here. I will take a closer look at my flour though. Sometimes I use bread flour and sometimes all-purpose flour.
Thank you for the ideas!