hi all... i'm about to purchase a hobart HL600 60 quart mixer for a small pizza/bakery business. the mixer i'm looking at is listed as 200-240/50/60/3/1.  i called the hobart dealer for advice and they told me that this is a dual phase mixer, and it can be used on either single or three phase power with just some simple re-wiring.  i want to make sure this is possible (the guy that told me has not seen the mixer).  he just said based on the numbers i gave him it "sounds like i could use it anywhere".  can anyone assure me that a 200-240V will work in any area of town?  i'm in the USA.  i thought everything was 120v here, but maybe not?  the spec sheet from the hobart website lists the mixer as  200-240/50/60/3/1.  i just want to be sure that i am able to use the mixer at any location.  currently it's being used at a school and i think it is wired for three phase power.   can anyone verify that this is, in fact, dual phase and that i can use it on single or 3 phase power?  i just want to be sure before i spend the money, and i've had a hard time finding helpful info on the internet searches.  thanks for any help you can provide!  any and all insights welcome!

hi all... i'm about to purchase a hobart HL600 60 quart mixer for a small pizza/bakery business. the mixer i'm looking at is listed as 200-240/50/60/3/1.  i called the hobart dealer for advice and they told me that this is a dual phase mixer, and it can be used on either single or three phase power with just some simple re-wiring.  i want to make sure this is possible (the guy that told me has not seen the mixer).  he just said based on the numbers i gave him it "sounds like i could use it anywhere".  can anyone assure me that a 200-240V will work in any area of town?  i'm in the USA.  i thought everything was 120v here, but maybe not?  the spec sheet from the hobart website lists the mixer as  200-240/50/60/3/1.  i just want to be sure that i am able to use the mixer at any location.  currently it's being used at a school and i think it is wired for three phase power.   can anyone verify that this is, in fact, dual phase and that i can use it on single or 3 phase power?  i just want to be sure before i spend the money, and i've had a hard time finding helpful info on the internet searches.  thanks for any help you can provide!  any and all insights welcome!

Hi I am hoping that someone can tell me if a KA classic with 250 watts power would be powerful enough for my needs. I am looking to use it for making one to two loaves of bread at a time. I found a used one that is selling at a good price but I know that if it doesn't have enough power to do what I need it for, then even if it is free, it's not worth aquiring. Thanks

hi all... a quick question.

i'm in the process of opening a small italian bakery/pizzeria.  it wil be take out only.  i need some help choosing a mixer.  i have an opportunity to buy a hobart 60 quart used for a good price.  my only concern is if this will be too large of a mixer.  i plan to make one batch of specialty loaves (~30 loaves) and one batch of pizzas (30 large) on a daily basis.  that is just a guess for when i start.  i could probably get by with a 40 quart, but the price is so good on the 60 that i am considering it.  is there any reason NOT to go for the 60 quart?  i need to jump on this ASAP if i want it... can anyone comment on using the 60 quart for smaller batches of dough?

Thought I'd throw this out especially since that fellow was trying to make his own. These seem great for the home baker.

Myself I've got a full-size one, but I haven't quite moved into my new bakery so it isn't hooked up yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqhhPOfEF64&feature=related

I got a call that there's a discount on one kitchen item that I've been eyeing for like 3 years.  After lunch, I quickly hop over to the store,  the buy is not only a discount but also a free meat grinder,  well,  I wanted the pasta maker.  The sales girl promised that there will be a free surprise gadget in the pack,  and ok,  fine, we decided to buy it.  Well,  the surprise was not there and the sales girl decided to give us a the pasta maker for free!,  I was exhilarated.  

Lugging the big item back home, my son had to help me carry it home.   I couldn't wait to try.  But it was already evening,  too late for a quick bake.  I decided to work Daniel Leader's Local Breads,  usually turns out really really well.  And,  my son requested for Rosemary Bread.  Leader's Local Breads contains a lot of recipes that uses herbs,  simply love it,  and uses biga that somehow,  makes it easy for the bread to work with and it usually turns out excellent.

Rosemary Filone (Daniel Leader's Local Breads)

1.  Took the biga out from the fridge, put into the mixer bowl.  add in water,  and used the stirrer to cut up in chunks.

2.  Add in all Ingredients, all dry first then, followed by wet.

3.  Mix for 10 mins using no. 3 ( I initially used 4 and the whole machine was jumping like crazy, I was afraid that it'll jump off the counter.)  In the meantime,  I was able to do some cleaning up.

4.  After 10 mins, the gluten was developed very well,  I was able to get my window pane dough.  And the dough was warm from the mixing.  Remove from the bowl.

5.  Round the dough and leave in the container for 1st proof.

6.  1 hour 15 mins.  the dough doubled.   

7.  Split dough by half,  fold and leave for 15 mins.

8.  Shape into loaf and leave in basket to proof for another 1 hour.

9.  Meanwhile,  heat oven at 210 degree celsius.

10. Score dough, bake for 40 minutes with steam.  (this bread is stated as no steam required, but I prefer the crust to be crispy and light)

Rosemary Filone:  The dough doubled in the oven,  and the rosemary smell wafted through the oven as it was baking. This bread is so soft and the crumbs were so well stretched.

 

Ricotta Bread - Pane Alla Ricotta(Daniel Leader's Local Breads)

Since I had my machine and flour all out,  I decided to make another bread at the same time. I had a box of Ricotta that I bought,  but not sure how to use it other and there in front of me, just a few pages down,  Ricotta Bread.  I just have to try it.

1.  Same method,  dry ingredients first then followed by cheese and butter, then water and milk.

2.  Mix for 10 mins at No. 3.

3.  Dough was mixed well. Window Pane achieved again.

4.  Let proof for 1 hour 30 mins.

5.  Cut 2/3 and 1/3.  Fold and leave for 15 mins.

6.  Round the 2/3 dough and 1/3 into loaf.  Leave to proof for 1 hour 30 mins.

7.  Score dough,  bake bread for 30 mins, with steam.  

This time,  the loaves tripled.  The milk and ricotta seems to make the dough much lighter than other breads,  and with the steam,  the bread just bloomed.  This is the first bread that I see spread, bloomed,  just indescribable.

I am totally happy with this new machine that I bought.  Totally satisfied,  as I usually don't get consistent mix.  And now,  with only 10 mins,  and the dough is so well mixed,  gluten fully developed. 

Sooo, I really LOVE my Bosch Universal mixer - it does exactly what I bought it for when it comes to my bread mixing.

HOWEVER, last night I used the beaters for the first time to whip some cream cheese, and I was very disappointed how the beaters don't reach all the way down to the bottom of the bowl. I was making a "cheesecake" to use up a Graham Cracker pie crust I had bought by accident (don't ask), and even though I scraped down multiple times during the mixing process, there was still some cream cheese stuck to the bottom of the bowl when I emptied the mixture into the crust.

Is this something I need to live with (in other words, use my Kitchenaid for), or is there some sort of "fix" for it?

TIA,

Stephan

Background:  I have made over 100 loaves, mostly using the sourdough "no-knead" meathod.  Now I have a 300W Kitchen Aid mixer on loan.  I have tried the following recipe several times:  http://www.lkphd.com/baking/2010/7/8/polish-country-rye-bread.html

My problem: gluten never seems to develop to anything even remotely like a "windowpane."  Worse still, after just 2 minutes in the mixer, the dough starts to break down, and become progressively more soupy

I have attempted the following

Please help me to identify this mixer.  We bought it not knowing what it was, but it's missing the bowl and we only have a paddle for it.  It works, smooth and quiet, but without the bowl and a hook, it's really useless.  It is way too heavy to drag around from dealer to dealer in the hope of getting it recognized, so I thought that maybe someone on this blog may know what this is.  There is a spec plate, but no manufacturer's name on it or anywhere else that I've been able to see.  The model is MIX0040, 220V, 1 phase, manufactured in 2001.  It appears to be 40 qt.  That's all that's printed on the plate.  Google search was unrevealing.  Thanks in advance.

So as someone who has been recently looking through all the stand mixers out there, I am entirely unhappy with everything I've seen. It seems apparent that there are no reasonably priced mixers that can reliably do the job anymore for even a home breadmaker. I have been talking to people in the baking business who have all raved about how their kitchenaids have lasted for 20+ years!!! But then ofcourse I realise that these are really Hobart kitchenaids and not the cheap foreign piece of.... current ones. I'm wondering if its even in the realm of possibility to acquire one of these old hobarts? That would be awesome.... and unlikely. Hopefully someone has some insight.