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Ankarsrum mixer dough hook vs roller and adjusting the dough hook

Patti Y's picture
Patti Y

Ankarsrum mixer dough hook vs roller and adjusting the dough hook

The Ankarsrum book says to use the dough hook with doughs OVER 4 lbs. There is another reason but I can't remember it right now. Something about stiff vs softer dough or maybe it is wet vs dry dough. 

In The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum, she states on pages 53 that the Ankarsrum's dough hook is to be used for UP TO 4 lbs of dough. When using the dough hook, use the scraper ONLY when mixing a very sticky dough. For larger amounts, use the roller and scraper. (Electrolux Magic Mill)

Then, on page 582, she says it again. Dough hook for under 4 lbs and roller for larger amounts of dough.

In her book, she always says WHY she does something differently. She does not say anything about using the Ankarsrum opposite of the way the Ankarsrum manual says to use the dough hook and roller.  

Did she just make a mistake in the book? Or is there a valid reason why she says to use the dough hook for doughs under 4 lbs? 

Any guesses?

 

Another Ankarsrum question... Is the dough hook supposed to scrape and bang against both sides of the bowl? It makes such a screeching noise, plus that can't be good for the bowl.

Do I need to adjust the dough hook? I noticed a small screw in the hole for the dough hook, but doesn't that just raise or lower the height of the dough hook?

Is the dough hook supposed to scrape the bottom of the bowl or is it NOT supposed to touch the bottom?

Thanks for your insight.

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

I have that book and saw her comment. My personal experience jibes with the manual. I'm going to believe that she, and her readers use an Ankarsrum so seldom that the error simply hasn't been caught and corrected.  I would not be surprised if her experience with the Ank was too little  to be distinguished from zero.

I am reminded of America's Test Kitchen's mixer tests that picked KA as best even though it failed multiple times to knead bagel or pretzel dough. The Ank was not even considered even though it is and was the best for bread dough (OK, in my mind).

Have you pinned the arm to the bracket on the hook. The bracket has an oblong hole which allows some limited movement; certainly  not enough to bang the sides.

The screw at the bottom of the hook mounting hole adjusts the clearance between hook and bowl bottom. Mine came with the factory setting having too little clearance and the performance was disappointing. I adjusted to the manual's recommendation of 4-5mm (~⅙-⅕in) and the hook worked as expected.  That clearance is very close to the thickness of a stack of 3 USquarters. I have also used the thickness of two kitchen matches as a gauge; but who has those any more?

g

Patti Y's picture
Patti Y

I did not attach the dough hook to the arm. Geez! I promise I am smarter than that...usually....sometimes...maybe...

First time to use the dough hook.

Trying rye bread tomorrow from Rose's book.  Started the sponge tonight.

I thought Rose's explanation of the dough hook was backwards. 

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

Patti, if you are still having problems a short video might be very helpful.

Dan

mikewasinnyc's picture
mikewasinnyc

Patti, I read somewhere that the dough hook was an afterthought added specifically for the American market, and that it's not all that useful in practice. I use my Magic Mill/Ankarsrum for some pretty massive bakes, and have yet to use the dough hook. Roller and scraper handle it every time. 

There's a FB group for the Ankarsrum mixer, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1432370830135640/ (hope I got that right, rarely use FB for anything much these days).  You could always ask there, some real die-hards in that group

Patti Y's picture
Patti Y

Thanks, I might have to use Facebook again.