The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

mixer

rustleinthehedgerow's picture

New, disappointed Bosch Universal Plus Owner

May 2, 2011 - 5:53pm -- rustleinthehedgerow
Forums: 

Okay, first off, I don't have an axe to grind. I'm proud of my German ancestry, love German engineering, drive BMWs, own and love my Bosch dishwasher and Bosch superautomatic coffee machine. I ordered the Bosch Universal Plus because I am an avid bread and pizza maker and got tired of mixing multiple batches of dough in my Kenwood K800 for many-loaf bakes and for pizza parties. (Last year I built an outdoor, wood-fired oven for these big bakes and parties, the most fun project I've ever undertaken, but that's another story.)

cranbo's picture
cranbo

So I've been baking breads for some years now and experimenting with various recipes. 

Today I've been working on these English Muffins as well as my version of Theresa Greenway's Griffin's Bread.

The versions I'm making are 62% and 68% hydrations respectively. 

Most of the time I use a KA mixer with C-hook to knead.

Both doughs clear the sides of the bowl reasonably well, but neither of these totally clear the bottom of the bowl. I ran them both for maybe 1 minute at KA speed 2 to combine, then about 3-4 minutes at speed 3. 

In the case of the muffins (which use about 70% preferment), there was about a 2.5" diameter circle at the bottom, and I added some additional flour (about 10g) and it shrank to about 2". 

In the case of the sourdough (which uses about 82% preferment), it stuck to a large circle at bowl bottom, probably 5-6" around. I had to add probably 30g of flour to make it clear the sides better, leaving about a 2-2.5" diameter circle at the bottom of the bowl. 

My questions are about hydration and mixing to clear the bowl: 

 

  1. Am I correct to assume that all 62% and above hydration flours will never totally clear the bottom of the bowl? 
  2. What hydration typically will clear the bowl bottom? 
If I was more accurate with my starter maintenance, I'm sure this would be less of an issue (I think my preferment hydration varies anywhere from 60-85%, because I eyeball it). I just want to get a better feel for the behavior of hydration and my mixing machine, so that I can make adjustments as necessary. At least I've learned not to add more flour to sticky ryes, I've ended up with quite a few bricks over the years. 

 

breadman_nz's picture

Decision Made: Electrolux N22 'Royal'

September 25, 2010 - 11:48pm -- breadman_nz

After visiting my brother, who makes a 1-2 loaves of delicious sourdough daily, I decided to expand my fresh pasta and pizza dough making to include breads. Hand kneading a 6-cup pizza dough and pasta for 10-13 minutes, gets tiring (although I'm sure the exercise is good for me!). So in deciding to expand into breads, I also decided a machine was 'kneaded'.

 

copyu's picture

Stand mixer query

August 11, 2010 - 6:13am -- copyu
Forums: 

Large mixers are very rare in Japan. None are offered in the major electrical goods shops, probably because kitchen space is at a premium. I saw a 'DeLonghi' in CostCo, once, [about $250] and recently came across the 'Bosch Compact' [about $400] in a baking supply store. That's it! CostCo Japan hasn't stocked any large mixers for the past 8  to 12 months

judiandjeff's picture

Best Stand Mixer for Bread, not KA

February 20, 2010 - 7:02am -- judiandjeff

About to replace my KA 5 qt. Want the best, but Hobart too expensive. Need advice among Bosch, Electrolux (are they still made?), Viking, and any other I missed. I assume these are in the $600 range or so, a little more is ok.

I searched here, and other sites online, and no one seems to be willing to say which they think is the best.

Thanks

dwcoleman's picture

my new old mixer

January 7, 2010 - 7:38pm -- dwcoleman

I bought the 20 quart mixer used about a month ago, it had problems starting, blew fuses, and smelt very bad.

I've cleaned it up, replaced the start motor capacitor and just made a 10lb batch of baguette dough.

The dough came together amazingly quick on the first speed, it only took 2-3 minutes to develop.

Here are some pics:

 

proth5's picture

Putting the question to the hive mind...

December 9, 2009 - 8:08am -- proth5

Let me start with one of my usual disclaimers.  I know that to a certain extent I am pining for those big, floorstanding mixers and it may be that the faithful Kitchen Aid is not really just inadequate, but...

I'm tired of it walking all over the counter, making ominous noises when mixing a stiff cookie dough, and not really stepping up for things like brioche.  I still like the thing for cakes, candies, and lighter duty work, but...

liseling's picture

will a mixer help significantly with wet dough? Help!

September 11, 2009 - 12:22am -- liseling
Forums: 

I am really bad at getting acceptable results with wet dough. I'd like to improve and start making baguettes etc. It seems to me that my problems have to do with mixing the dough without it sticking to everything and never seeming to get it to the point where it can be an actual cohesive piece of dough. Another problem that I always have is getting it to rise properly. Instead of rising into nice loaves anything I make with wet dough just flattens out in a puddle as soon as I start getting it ready to go into the oven.

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