The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Kitchenaid kneading time

dannydannnn's picture
dannydannnn

Kitchenaid kneading time

I got a brand new Kitchenaid Artisan after giving away my old one, and I noticed that it seems much weaker than my previous one. But that's not what I came here to ask. When I contacted Kitchenaid about this, they informed me that they don't recommend kneading for more than 2 minutes as it's equivalent to 10-12 minutes of hand kneading.

Is anyone here using their Kitchenaid mixer for kneading, and if so, for how long do you knead? I'm fairly certain that 2 minutes of kneading in the mixer is insufficient for most recipes...

gerryp123's picture
gerryp123

I also have a KA "Artisan".  I've used the dough-hook and lowest speed the "knead" for up to 12 minutes as suggested in the recipe I am following.  As I recall the recipe called for same time whether kneading by hand or by machine.  All depends on the density of the dough.

Some other guidelines:

Mix bread-dough mostly on Speed 1, sometimes on Speed 2 in short bursts, never Speed 3 or higher.

Do not mix more than 4 cups of flour.  Even less flour for stiff dough (like bagel or pizza dough)

When mixing for long interval pause the mixing if motor-case seems too hot, or if gears seem to slip or stall.

On balance, KA Artisan has served me well for all bread recipes I've tried.

gerhard's picture
gerhard

and tend to mix does around 10 minutes. My bread recipe is about 800 grams flour at about 65% hydration. I find one thing that helps is let it mix about 2 minutes, then turn the machine off for up to 5 minutes before mixing another 8 or so minutes. I find without the rest period the mixer has to run longer. We have the 6 quart model I don’t know if the 5 quart model has the same power.

Yippee's picture
Yippee

Hi, 

My dough was autolyzed overnight before mixing.  It took only 2 minutes of mixing at speed 10 (my mixer is KA 600) to clear the bowl. Then I folded it twice during fermentation. The bread turned out fine. 

Yippee

 

BaniJP's picture
BaniJP

2 min. is probably enough if you use high-gluten flour, which would be also suitable for no knead bread.

Obviously depends on the flour (I mix less when using high-gluten flour or fragile rye and whole wheat) and which bread I'm making (baguette or brioche), but for the average loaf I just knead on speed 1 until everything is just combined, then about 5 min. on speed 2. After that I check the windowpane and continue, if kneaded (get it?), for another 2-3 min. 

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

After a 2 hour autolyse. I used to do 5 as I was afraid of over mixing but no issues with 10 or slightly more as I put in my add-ins at the end. I still do folds during bulk. 

old baker's picture
old baker

In several recipes that I've read, two minutes kneading with a mixer is equivalent to 10-12 minutes by hand.

doughooker's picture
doughooker

I'm careful not to overknead dough. I once did and the crust came out like concrete. Now I just wait for a cohesive dough ball to form in the mixer bowl — good enough.

Robyn's picture
Robyn

All ingredients go into the bowl, then a minute or so to allow the dry stuff to mix in, then 4 minutes on fairly high, 5 minutes rest, 5 minutes on fairly high - form and put into tin to rise. 

Crust never rock hard...

I like to work on the premise 'work smarter, not harder'. Don't ever hand knead. Have better things to do.

 

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

That kitchenaid recommends only up to speed 2 for bread dough. Above that, you risk breaking your machine.