Looking for advice for equipment for baking at home
I enjoy baking, and I've done a bit of everything just for my own family over the years. As much as I appreciate bread, I haven't always taken the time to make it myself. I thought I'd try a bread machine to see if I would like it. Now I'm considering if I want a mixer, and I'm looking for advice.
I bought a Zojirushi. As it turned out, the oven on it doesn't work. It doesn't get hot. I've made two loaves in it, and it does everything but when the cycle completes, it hasn't baked. I've just taken the loaf out and baked it in my oven. I'm returning it to the big online retailer where I bought it.
After using it, I wondered if I wouldn't be better off with just a mixer. Before, I've always kneaded by hand. I beat egg whites and whip cream by hand too and never owned a mixer. I considered a KA, but quickly learned that bread dough kills them. I've read advice to get a spiral mixer and to use commercial equipment.
I've seen residential spiral mixers like the Häussler Alpha, and commercial equipment seems to start in that price range and go up from there. If that is what it takes, I will probably just knead by hand on occasion and eat other people's bread. I also read about the Assistent/Ankarsrum. That is still a lot of money for me for just one piece of equipment.
I also read, "the smallest batch the Ankarsrum would knead well is about a 2-loaf batch." I really only want to make a loaf at a time. I'm hoping that I do not need commercial equipment to knead five cups of flour.
Is there a good mixer for small batches of dough? Perhaps a planetary mixer wouldn't die an early death with such a small batch, but will it develop the gluten well enough? Will the dough suffer more from oxidation? Is there a better choice?
I have a regular residential oven, a Jenn-Aire, which has a setting for proofing, and a "true" convection feature which is a bit uneven. It's big enough, and I like it well enough. So should I get a mixer?
You don't need to do a lot of kneading to make good bread and handling the dough makes you a better baker because you can feel the way the dough changes throughout the process.
The best advice I can give you is to spend some money on a good set of electronic scales and weigh all your ingredients. It's the best way to achieve truly consistent results and most of the really interesting recipes out there measure in pounds and ounces or kilos and grams. That's the way people here will advise you, as well, so they'll be a good investment. You really don't need much equipment to make bread but I think a good set of digital scales comes right after a good oven.
I use these, but there's lots of choice out there.
I agree with Jon... digital scales are important. You don't need a mixer. I think most of us around here are using a no-knead method and it works really well, and makes great bread. It comes as a bit of a surprise, I know, to find out that kneading isn't necessary for good bread.
A Dutch Oven is a reliable way to get the necessary moist environment for a good oven spring.
I, too, have a Jenn-Aire but I never use its proofing setting... I find it too warm, and mostly leave my dough at room temp until it's proofed. I don't use the convection setting for bread either.
I have a bread machine and a Kitchen Aid mixer. I actually prefer to use my bread machine for mixing and kneading my dough on the dough setting.
Don't bother. It's an expensive bit of kit to sit there gathering dust. I prefer to knead by hand.
If you can't spring to a DO (again, they're pretty expensive), then might I suggest a terracotta chicken brick? I use one to great effect. A silicon baking mat to put on the work surface is also kind of useful - it's easier to clean than a board and needs a lot less flour for dusting. I'd definitely second a set of digital scales though, because consistent measuring equals consistent results.
As for proving, just stick your bowl / banneton etc into a plastic bag and leave it on the work surface. The large clear bags for freezing food work a treat.
I also find a kitchen timer very useful.
If you are going to be using All purpose flour or Bread flour, I agree, a mixer is not the first item on the list. If you are goiing to be doing a lot of Whole Wheat, many believe that extensive kneading can produce better results, and for that, a mixer can be helpful. As to the Ankarsrum, mine has no problems with 226 grams of flour, which is not a double loaf by any means, so I think it can be used for very small amounts with no problems. I agree with the others that the first item should be a digital scale, then cookware - some like a cast iron dutch oven, others like a combo cooker, and others like a pizza stone.
Thanks for all the advice.
I've got the digital scale. I've mostly used volume for recipes, but I think it's a good idea to measure the weight and keep a record of it while developing my own. I can certainly appreciate that the weight of flour is not consistent with its volume whether it's sifted or settled in the canister.
I've got a 5 quart dutch oven. It's bare cast iron but it's not the bigger camp style. I've used it for roasting, stews, and cobbler, but hadn't thought of using it for bread.
I like the idea of a silicone mat. Now I use the slab granite counter top. The island has a big work space. I can see how silicone would work better for wet doughs.
I was starting to consider a Bosch Compact or Universal, but maybe for the small batches I do, it won't save me that much work. I wouldn't have much use for it other than kneading dough.
Don't work very well with very wet or very sticky doughs. I learnt that the hard way LOL... (You can imagine the mess!)
But for a bread of 65-70% hydration it's just the ticket.
I agree with eveyone. There's no need for a mixer to make great home made bread. Moving to a weight based method for making bread is the best idea. I would strongly encourage you to do this. It will make all the difference. As to the granite counter top, I bought one of these. It's brilliant. I bring it out on the weekend when I'm baking and it's so easy to maintain - no washing, just scrape off any excess flour/dough that gets stuck to it. Here's your shopping list..
http://www.amazon.com/Tableboards-Spinella-Maple-Pastry-Bread/dp/B00VEJE4NU
http://goo.gl/BixnpH - you can get this in 6 or 12 qt size.
Have fun..
I have the same bread board and agree it is great.
I picked up an older, lightly-used Zojirushi bread machine in a thrift store that has been wonderful for single-loaf batches. I use the dough setting and finish off in the oven. So, if you want to continue with the one-loaf-at-a-time method but want some intense kneading (a la whole wheat), you might still want a bread machine. Thrift stores seem to have a plentiful supply of them for not much money.
Re: a mixer, do check out the Bosch Compact. They run around $200 and work beautifully for 1-3 loaf batches. Pleasant Hill Grain seems to run a special on them near Mother's Day that hits well below $200. You can read lots of positive reviews on this model if you search the site here.
And...love that bread board! :) There is nothing like making bread completely by hand. I do find that with 100% whole wheat or close to it, the intensive kneading affects my goofy shoulder and so I use the bread machine for small batches most of the time.