November 25, 2013 - 4:02pm
Dough Hook v. Standard Paddle
Hello! I am new to bread making and am working on my second loaf. Does anyone know if using the paddle attachment and then switching to the dough hook works better than using the dough hook for the entire process? I used the hook before and thought not everything mixed thoroughly, but it could be that I am still getting used to bread techniques.
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Yes, the paddle is for mixing and the dough hook is for kneading. I find that I like to mix the dry ingredients before adding liquid. I'll often do all the mixing with a dough scraper in the bowl I use for weighing. Then I'll put the mix in my Kitchen Aid for kneading.
Wow, glad I asked lol I don't know where I got the idea that the hook is fine for mixing and kneading, but I know better now. When you mix the dry ingredients, I assume you are including the sugar and salt with the flour? The recipe I am following requires adding sugar and salt plus liquids to the yeast mixture, then adding flour.
I think it is always a good idea to avoid direct contact between yeast and salt, I would either add it a little latter or mix into the flour to prevent having the all of the salt hitting the yeast at once.
Gerhard
Thanks for the tips: paddle, hook, and no direct contact between salt and yeast. I am two steps closer to making some great bread. :)
This is the technique that I use: Combine all of the ingredients (except water) in the mixing bowl and stir with a spoon, spatula, dough scraper, or any handy implement. Add the water and manually stir (I use a spoon) until a ragged dough is formed. This is accomplished in less than a minute. Attach the mixing bowl and dough hook and turn on the mixer.
If your mixer has a spiral hook, then the dough will circulate evenly. If you have a “C” or “J” type hook, then the dough may need to be repositioned periodically if an even mixture is to be obtained. To reposition the dough, stop the mixer and tilt back the head. With a plastic spatula, scrape the dough off of the hook and rotate the dough halfway (do not flip it). Lower and lock the mixer head and continue mixing. Depending on the dough characteristics, this procedure may have to be repeated several times (or not at all). Stiff doughs generally require more rotating than slack ones.
not only at the beginning, but for the whole process. Since it's larger than the hook it slams the dough against the sides of the bowl much better than the hook, providing more energy. The downside is that the dough climbs the paddle even more than the hook, so you have to turn the dough upside down and inside out even more often that with the hook.
Actually I don't use the hook anymore. It's the most stupid implement ever invented:). Good for tickling the dough, not for kneading it.
as it engaged only a portion of the dough, stopping frequently to redistribute the dough around the hook. I have wondered how well the paddle would do, I'll have to give it a try.
Seems like I will need to experiment with both attachments. I wasn't sure of how useful the dough hook would be since it only works on a part of the dough at a time and much of it seems to be untouched, but still learning :) Curious, if I am mixing all the dry ingredients, does the yeast fall under dry or liquid? It needs some water to activate it, so it would fall under liquid wouldn't it?
If you use instant dry yeast (also known as "rapid rise") then no proofing is necessary. The yeast gets mixed in with the dry ingredients. Just don't pour it directly onto a pile of salt. I have been using Fleishmann's instant yeast for many years with consistent results. It is best to purchase instant yeast in a 1 pound or 500g vacuum pack, and then store the yeast in a mason jar in the freezer after opening.
Funny you should mention that, Bob, I was in my kitchen last night and noticed I am almost out of yeast and will need to order some soon. Appreciate the tips! :)
I have Bosch Universal Plus machine and yesterday I was making a Cinnamon-Walnut loaf that was small in amount of dough used. Supposedly, I was going to have trouble with the Bosch because people complain that it does not do small or highly hydrated mixes well. This was both, small and around 73% hydration. I don't have the paddle attachments, just the dough hook. I started by putting all the wet ingredients in the mixer and mixed on low for about 2 minutes. It took some time to get all mixed in, but looked good before I added the dry. Then I added the dry mix (premixed manually using a whisk) very slowly, maybe a tablespoon at a time while running on low speed. Within a few minutes, all the dry mix was in the bowl and it look very good. This all worked great for me.
"J" shaped dough hook didn't mix very well. Since I've changed to a spiral dough hook I use it for the entire operation, from mixing through kneading. I works better than the "J" dough hook.