The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

New Ankarsrum

amylearnstocook's picture
amylearnstocook

New Ankarsrum

I just got a new Ankarsrum! This weekend I am going to use it for the first time. I have no idea how to use it. I am a long time KA and Bosch user. Does anyone have advice for me on my first use of the Ank?

bshuval's picture
bshuval

Hi Amy!

I'm a follower of your YouTube channel. Welcome to TFL!

The ankarsrum is a fantastic mixer. At first I thought it was odd, especially coming from a KA, but once you learn how to use it, it's great. 

To make wet bread dough, I use the roller and scraper in the metal bowl. I place the roller about an inch and a half from the rim. I start at low speed to get the flour moistened, and then increase to medium speed and set the timer. From time to time I would move the roller to the center and back just to get any dough off the center of the bowl. 

For heavier bread doughs (and also ryes, etc.) I use the dough hook and the scraper. Just make sure that the dough hook does not touch the bottom of the bowl. 

The roller, dough hook, scraper, and metal bowl are dishwasher safe. 

The roller and scraper can also be used to cream butter and sugar, make pound cakes, etc. 

The plastic bowl I use for meringues and soft cake doughs. Make sure to use soft butter as the beaters will struggle a bit with cold butter. Don't use the plastic bowl for heavy cookie doughs, or you might break the beaters. 

The plastic bowl is dishwasher safe; the whisk and beaters are not. 

Good luck! 

amylearnstocook's picture
amylearnstocook

Hi! Thanks for watching my show and the advice! I am taking the Ank on a trial run this weekend. I am going to try it out on some bread dough and a cake. I am looking forward to it because I got the mixer for Christmas and I haven't been able to try it. I am a little intimidated but I guess whatever my result is I will learn and go from there. I am going to do a video on it once I figure out how to use it. I am going to do a 9 loaf challenge against the Bosch.

txbubba's picture
txbubba

I also have an Ankarsrum mixer that I haven't used all that much for bread, except maybe quick breads that need thorough mixing. All my sourdoughs are modified 'no knead' versions. I did however make my first cheesecake this morning that needed a good mixing. I brought the cream cheese up to room temp and broke it up before mixing with the wire beaters. Once I scraped the sides of the plastic bowl down so the beaters incorporated all the cheese into the batter, it all went very well. Just pulled it out of the oven a few minutes ago and it looks good. Will know how it came out once it cools in the fridge overnight.

amylearnstocook's picture
amylearnstocook

How did your cheesecake come out?

hanseata's picture
hanseata

For bread baking, add the liquid first. I use only the roller (with scraper), found that the dough hook didn't work as well, whether the dough was higher hydrated or less.

My only gripe about the Ankarsrum is the lip of the bowl - it makes scraping out the dough more difficult.

Karin

bigcrusty's picture
bigcrusty

Hi Amy,

One thing for sure is add liquid first.  I use the roller and scraper and mix for about two minutes at #1 speed then ramp up to 6 for two-four minutes but have to keep the dough in the bowl with a stiff spatula.  I make artisan breads and use only natural levains.  I usually start with the roller close to the rim of the steel bowl and then move toward the center.  I make a ciabatta with 95% hydration which I mix for twenty minutes.  I've never used the plastic bowl since I'm not into desserts.  I tried the dough hook but found the stiff doughs just come up the hook and into the machine. 

Enjoy your Anskarum! I've found it to be a great machine for my breads.

 

Regards,

 

Big Crusty

amylearnstocook's picture
amylearnstocook

I am used to putting the water in first going back from my bread machine days and then with the KA. This way you can let it proof a little without having to use a separate container...then I add the rest of the ingredients with the dry in last and salt on the top.

When I took the dough hook out of the box I was like "What in the world is this?" LOL!

tgrayson's picture
tgrayson

Everyone says to add the liquid first, but I never do. I always put the dry ingredients in first so that the mixer will combine them, then add the liquid. Works fine.

 

bshuval's picture
bshuval

I also never bother putting the liquid first. I usually have the dry ingredients at the bottom, and it works just fine. 

txbubba's picture
txbubba

Wife said it was the best cheese cake she ever tasted. I got the recipe from John Thorne's book 'Simple Cooking.' The recipe is alleged to come from Lindsay's restaurant in NYC, and it truly is the best cheese cake I've ever eaten. It was the first cheese cake I've ever made and the recipe is a keeper. Very simple, incredibly tasty, and it came out beautiful. Ankarsrum did a magnificent job with the batter.

amylearnstocook's picture
amylearnstocook

I might try one in the Ank. My husband loves cheescake. I will checkout the recipe and try it.

DaveTC's picture
DaveTC

Amy,

I was waiting for your review of the mixer after your un-boxing video, but I went ahead and bought one anyways.

I tried the dough hook once after I had the dough mostly kneaded with the roller and scraper.  The kneading action was almost better for the more hydrated dough, but I doubt that I will use it much.

One very small tip is that after the flour is mostly mixed in, there can some dry flour on the wall of the bowl.  If one forces the scraper against the bowl by pushing on it, the bowl cleans up nicely.

amylearnstocook's picture
amylearnstocook

I am looking forward to using it. I have been so busy lately with work that I haven't even used it yet. Can you believe it? I got it for Christmas!

How are you liking it so far?

DaveTC's picture
DaveTC

I have been busy lately too.  I would be curious of your view of the Bosch vs the Ankarsrum.  I still enjoy using the mixer much more than my Kitchen Aid.  It is a tool that can be adjusted by adjusting the roller setting knob, by pulling or pushing the roller arm, or by pushing or pulling the scraper arm.  It works better than the fixed path of the Kitchen Aid and one does not need to stop as often to scrape the bowl, since it is being continually scraped when the scraper attachment is on.

I still like it a lot.  I made bagels for the first time last weekend and plan to try bagels again this weekend to make corrections.  I was sick last weekend, so I they over-proofed a bit while I slept.  Then, too much of the toppings (such as salt and garlic seasonings) stuck to them, so they were a bit too strong.  Other than that, they were tasty.  With the low-hydration high gluten bagel dough, the performance was just OK.  I ended up switching to a dough hook.  The stiff dough tended to just push the roller to the side.  With the hook, the dough was stiff and there was not a lot of kneading action going on.  However, I set the timer for a little longer than normal and in the end it did a good job.   I really like the timer more than I thought I would.