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using a food processor to "knead" the dough

pcake's picture
pcake

using a food processor to "knead" the dough

i didn't realize this was even possible, but i was watching "the great british baking show - masterclass" last night, and saw mary use a food processor for some dough.  i immediately rushed to the internet and looked it up, and found tons of recipes and videos using a food processor to make all sorts of dough including bread, pizza, cookies and cakes.

i'm over 2 months away from having a better stand mixer - i'm currently using a $34 sunbeam with a low speed that's literally faster than my daughter's kitchenaid's medium sped - but will be getting probably a bosch compact in mid june.  in the meantime, i could use a bigger food processor - my mini isn't big enough to aerate enough flour to be useful and when i tried to use it to mix several dry indredients, they reached the top and only the middle was mixed - so i thought maybe i could get one now and use it to knead at least some doughs.

so i thought i'd ask you folks at TFL what you can and can't do when kneading or mixing using a food processor.

 

 

tgrayson's picture
tgrayson

I use an FP for single loaf breads, but I do follow that with a period of stretch & folds. The FP part takes about 15s.

But if you want to rely on the FP to do all your mixing, you'd need to let it run for a minute or two. Most sources suggest a minute or so hand kneading after removing the dough, but I never do that.

pcake's picture
pcake

i only make single loaves, so that could work.  thanks!

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

Charles Van Over has a book,  Best Bread Ever and I believe nearly every recipe uses the FP for kneading dough.  The FP is extremely quick, though it does heat up the dough, so most FP recipes call for ice cold water.  I think the FP is best suited for high hydration doughs  ( though I also use it for pasta, which is much lower hydration)  Also, the size of the dough is pretty important, too small and it may not be kneaded, too large and the machine goes topsy turvey.  BTW, the Compact is a great mixer, you will love it,  till then, just play around with the FP. 

pcake's picture
pcake

will be checking out that book.  it heats up the dough in 1 to 2 minutes?  wow, the FPs must heat up really fast.

so far, most of my doughs have been higher hydration than i meant for them to be :D  i mostly make small loaves - 300 grams flour.  

can't wait to get it - i've researched like mad!  a FP might be more fun than the $34 sunbeam!

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

Here is a link to a recipe  http://keeprecipes.com/recipe/howtocook/charles-van-over%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cbest-bread-ever%E2%80%9D   can't be sure it is accurate, but it suggests that you knead for 45 seconds - check temp, then knead for 5 seconds more to raise the temp, if needed.  So yes, the temp goes up pretty quick.  300 grams sounds like that would be a great size for the FP,  though of course you could probably go higher as well.  

alfanso's picture
alfanso

Mariana, a most astute TFL participant gives a master class on mixing, with a lot of time spent discussing the food processor as a tool.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/54803/chasing-thin-crispy-not-thicktough-dough

strap on a seat belt, because it is one long but valuable ride.

pcake's picture
pcake

i'll have to read the entire thing through, then read it again.  after that, i'll have to adapt it in my head for the more delicate gluten in spelt flour. i'm sure with a few experiments, i can get it.

pcake's picture
pcake

 that a fair amount of people have tried with success

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/food-processor-french-bread-114709

i must say, though, that seems like a LOT of yeast, but someone tried it with 1 1/2 tsp and it didn't work, so i guess it really is 1 1/2 Tbsp yeast.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Use a cutting action so won't be good for gluten?

Weizenbrot's picture
Weizenbrot

...a dull plastic blade specifically for kneading yeast doughs. Haven't tried it, though.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Uses an egg beater for rye breads. I can see how this works very well with the "gluten" being more of a gel.

Yippee's picture
Yippee

So simple, yet so nice! Thanks for sharing!

Yippee

pcake's picture
pcake

i found recipes and watched a bunch of videos where people used the metal S blade to make dough.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLRTKKlFQ1Q&t=191s

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Before the gluten has formed i.e. the initial mix. But to use it to bring the dough to full gluten formation then I think that'll cut through the gluten. Also, it depends what the dough is used for. Storing it in the fridge for a few days then making a pizza base out of it then I see no issue. If after the dough is formed you then start the stretch and folds to make a loaf of bread out of it then also no issue.

pcake's picture
pcake

i watched at least 40 videos of people using food processors to fully develop the dough till it's shiny, elastic and stretchy.  it was quick, too.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

that the bran in wholewheat will interfere with gluten development yet it does well with violently rotating metal knives.

Well I never...!

EDIT: just saw Grind's comment below which explains a lot...

grind

Apr 12 2018 - 3:21pm

before. The dough was a little stiffer than normal so that it can ride on top of the spinning blade. This way it gets banged around (kneaded?) the bowl rather than engaging the chopping action of the blade. That's all I remember.

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

all of her own bread and she uses a food processor with the metal blade. Unfortunate, I didn’t pay a lot of attention at the time as it was back in the days where bread making was beyond me. If I remember right, she mixed the dough in the FP for several minutes. I can’t remember what she did after that. I’ll ask and report back.  

pcake's picture
pcake

i'll be interested to hear what she says!

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

”Okay - just saw your post.  I do use the metal blade, even though I've got the plastic dough blade, just don't think I've really used it, as the lady I bought my very first one (used) from said she never used it - so, hey - worked for her.  Can't honestly say how long I run it, just until it looks/sounds about right (yea, I know that isn't much help) - and I do not leave the dough in the workbowl, I take it out, finish it out with a bit of hand-kneading until it feels right, into large bowl, cover, raise, the punch down, into pans, raise again, and then bake.  Oh, and as for speed - just steady, not pulse.  I don't have variable speed (ie, low, med, high) on mine.”

pcake's picture
pcake

that's very interesting - thanks!.  i got a bosch compact since my original post, but i admit i'm intrigued at the idea of using a food processor for dough.  

may i ask what food processor you use?

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

which food processor she uses. I believe it’s an old one if she doesn’t have variable speeds. 

As to me, I make dough all by hand so no food processor here  

pcake's picture
pcake

ah, well.  i guess you can do the dough thing regardless of speed.

i would, too, but i have wrist issues, so i only make dough by hand when it's relatively soft and has only a little kneading.  i find i like it, but the rest go in my mixer.

grind's picture
grind

before. The dough was a little stiffer than normal so that it can ride on top of the spinning blade. This way it gets banged around (kneaded?) the bowl rather than engaging the chopping action of the blade. That's all I remember.

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

Same as grind,  when the volume is right, it sort of floats about the knife, not as fast as the spinning blade, but much quicker than any mixer.  I also have the blade for dough, which does not have sharp edges, but that will only work with certain amounts of dough -  too small and it won't spin the dough.