The Fresh Loaf

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Kneeding with a mixer

gong's picture
gong

Kneeding with a mixer

Hello there,

for quite sometime I kneaded bread by hand. To avoid the kitchen mess, and reduce time needed for the bread, I bought a kitchen mixer with a hook.

How does mixing affect the process? For example I usually mix 40% WW with 60% AP flour in around 67-70% hydration with 15-20% starter. I do an aytolysis for 1 hour. How much time should the dough be kneaded in the mixer? Is 5 minutes ok, or more?

And if I don't do an aytolysis and knead in the mixer longer will I have the same result? As far as I have read, aytolysis hydrates the flour and starts the formation of gluten. So I believe that no aytolysis and more mixing time will have the same result.

 

thanks

AlanG's picture
AlanG

I use a mixer to shorten the overall time that I am involved in the preparation as I have other things to do.  I have a six quart KitchenAid Pro Mixer.  For sourdough bread I mix everything other than salt until it is in the typical "shaggy mix" shape which is usually about 1 1/2 minutes.  After a 30 minute autolysis (that's what I use but if you want to go one hour that should be OK as well).  Then I add the salt and mix for 2 1/2 minutes on speed two adjusting the moisture content if necessary.  After that it's a pair of stretch and folds at 30, 60 and 120 minutes and then into the fridge for a 20 hour retardation.  this has proven to be an approach that gives very repeatable results.