The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

KitchenAid grain mill help

leighannh2's picture
leighannh2

KitchenAid grain mill help

Hi everyone, I kept referring to this forum so I finally joined.

My husband was given several 5 gallon buckets of wheat (in long-term storage packaging) and I have been trying to perfect my baking using fresh ground 100% whole wheat.  I tried the KitchenAid, and had a lot of problems getting the loaf to rise, and through a lot of trial and error, I learned to bake a rustic loaf that tasted good but crumbled apart too easily, even after running the flour through 3 times.  I also tried to make pancakes with the flour, and they turned out more like cornbread.

So today I experimented with a borrowed Vitamix and baked a loaf with flour that I had ground with it.  The loaf came out great.  

So, I know it's my mill.  However, I can't keep borrowing the Vitamix and I can't get a better mill for several months.  

So, do any of you have any advice on using the KitchenAid?  My mixer is one of the professional grade ones, so it seems to be handling it ok, besides getting hot after several cups.  I just wish I could get it to grind the flour finer and more thoroughly.   

leighannh2's picture
leighannh2

I may have figured it out, but in case someone else needs the info..

I took the grain mill attachment apart and put it back together and then set the knob to the finest grain, and now it seems that I'm getting flour that I expect from this machine.  It looks like the sample I made with the vitamix.  I'm not sure, but I believe the adjustment knob was off and was only grinding somewhere between the coarsest and the finest, even though I had selected the finest.  I will try baking with it tomorrow.

drogon's picture
drogon

sift out some of the bran, then use it as a topping on the loaf just before putting it in the oven.

-Gordon

leighannh2's picture
leighannh2

Good idea, thanks!

Steel_Wind's picture
Steel_Wind

FWIW, I have recently purchased the Mockmill, a new German Kitchen-Aid mill attachment.  It's been great to use so far. I have made baguettes, sandwich bread and pita so far. No problems with any rising at all, though I have not used more than 1/3rd of the flour as whole wheat so far.

Mockmill Grain Mill Demo










You can check my review on the Mockmill elsewhere in this section of the forums. I have not had any of the problems you describe with your older mill. I am very pleased with my purchase so far. 

 

leighannh2's picture
leighannh2

Thanks for sharing, I didn't know about this product!  Looks nice, glad to hear it is working for you.