February 10, 2011 - 4:31pm
What is really meant by "Medium Speed?"
Hi all,
I am relatively new to bread making in general. For mixing brioche dough (or anything for that matter), I often see instructions to mix on "medium speed" with dough hook. I do have the larger of the KA mixers, maybe not largest. In any event, I know the lowest speed setting is pretty slow. But even level 2 seems pretty fast. I'm afraid that if I were to turn it up any higher or to the medium levels, the whole thing would bend, snap, gyrate wildly, fly off the counter, etc. Is this a common question? Do they really mean level 2?
Thanks in advance!
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I would try No higher than 2 for one reason: One of the bloggers broke her machine while making brioche....several doing the Dorie Greenspan Challenge had their machines acting up. I honestly think some might have added all if not most of the flour called for in the recipe.
I have the 6qt pro and use it on speed 1 for brioche by mixing most ingredients w/paddle first then switch to dough hook and 'knead' on #2 for a little bit. The rest is kneaded by hand for a few minutes....hardly ever use all the flour in a recipe.
Good Luck!
Good advice from Amori.
The KA manual warns not to mix bread dough above speed two. Since they build the machines, I imagine they have a good reason for that warning.
Speed one is used to incorporate the ingredients to a shaggy mass. Speed two is used to mix them.
You'll probably run across some posts advising that you can safely mix at much higher speeds. Advice is free. Repairs aren't.
Think of speeds one and two as "slow" and "medium," and your mixer will be fine. And so will your bread!
I agree with both LindyD and Amori. #2 is the highest speed I'd use with my KA when "medium" speed is recommended for the dough.
What a great forum and very helpful community. Thanks again!