You think I would know after 5 years, but, how do you REALLY work the DLX mixer?
Yes, I've owned it for 5 years. It was not new and it was instantly a love relationship, but I still don't think I have it all learned correctly.
When I make a single loaf or sometimes two loaves, it kneads correctly and it's actually quite cool to watch. It spins, hits the big rubber spatula, turns 90 degrees, gets rolled, hits rubber spatula and turns 90 degrees, so on. You can TOTALLY see that it is getting kneaded properly. I get that to happen about 75% of the time with small jobs.
But, if I have a double, triple or quadruple batch, it doesn't work properly with the roller or with the big dough hook. I have to keep watch over it and help it turn or mix because otherwise it just spins in the same lump with some parts gettting lots of action and the majority never getting touched. I've watched online youtub videos and some show 'good kneading' and others show what I get. Is this OK? for parts to never really get mixed in? Like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Zb4qBinRk&NR=1 or this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0wgm31xrvU&feature=related
After searching for this when I encountered the same problems, I had the best results by initially holding back 20-25% of the flour. When the dough is wet, the mixer can mix it well, forming it into a 'donut' shape distributed around the outside of the bowl. Then I slowly add back the remaining flour, so as to keep the donut, which seems to be important to get good kneeding.