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Kneading Dough in a Stand Mixer

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Jody's Bakery
Kneading Dough in a Stand Mixer

Don't worry if you want to start baking bread at home but don't have a bread machine. You can bake beautiful loaves with nothing more than a stand mixer.
Before we begin kneading dough in your stand mixer, I'd like to discuss the two major disadvantages of using a stand mixer versus a bread machine.

It is possible to make bread without a bread machine, but I much prefer having one. To begin, kneading in a stand mixer necessitates a little more babysitting. You must turn the machine on and off to allow the dough and motor to rest, you must check the dough's consistency, and you must remove it and then use a bowl cover during the rising process.


Second, the average stand mixer (particularly most home Kitchenaid brands) is not designed to knead dough on a daily basis. It is too demanding on their engine. Bread dough is much stiffer than cake batter or frosting, and it takes much longer to knead than cookie dough. As a result, kneading in the mixer will eventually wear out the motor.


That being said, if you despise kneading by hand and only bake bread on occasion, it is a viable option. For the best results, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.


There's no need to be picky about the order of the ingredients when you're adding them. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl, attach the dough hook, and turn the mixer to the lowest setting. Allow the machine to mix for a minute or two, then check to see if the dough is too dry or too wet.

It should have formed a ball and cleared the bowl's sides. If it hasn't done so and appears to be a batter or is constantly sticking to the bowl, restart the mixer and add more flour. Take it one teaspoon at a time.


If the dough is too dry, it will be crumbly and dry, and it will not have formed a ball. Again, start the mixer on low and add a teaspoon of water at a time.


How Long Should You Knead in a Stand Mixer?


It's time to knead the dough once it's reached the proper moisture level. Keep in mind that we must do this on the lowest setting and that it will take some time. Kneading bread dough is not the same as making a cake. We'll be here for quite some time. Set a timer and stick to it to avoid rushing the process.


So, knead the dough for five minutes on the lowest setting, then turn it off and rest for five minutes. The top of the stand mixer may feel very warm to you. This is normal and indicates that the motor needs to rest. After a five-minute rest, restart it on low for another five minutes. It's been kneading for about five minutes now. We can begin to test the dough to see if it is ready.


How to Tell if the dough has been sufficiently kneaded


The best way to tell if bread has been properly kneaded is to look for "windows." When stretched out, these are areas of bread dough that are translucent. To look for them, take a golf-ball-sized piece of dough and stretch it out. If it tears immediately, the gluten has not developed and more kneading time is required. If it stretches easily into a thin layer, this is a sign that the dough has been sufficiently kneaded.


(Of course, there are exceptions to this rule.) Because of their long rise times, very wet doughs or doughs with a very long rise will not always form windows. This is the basis for some artisan bread recipes and high hydration pizza dough.) You shouldn't expect the dough to be ready after ten minutes of kneading. Most of the time, a few more five-minute sessions will be required. Just make sure to rest the mixer for five minutes before turning it on low for another five minutes.


The Rising Dough Stage


When you've kneaded the dough enough to see windows, it's time to move on to the bulk dough rise stage. This can be done in the same mixing bowl as the stand mixer. Simply wash it out quickly and lightly coat it with vegetable oil. It is best to use a cooking spray. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. This can also be done in the fridge overnight.


From there, simply continue with the rest of the recipe, including shaping, the final rise, and baking.


Step-by-Step Bread Dough Making With A Stand Mixer


1.Combine the ingredients, mix them together, and check to see if the dough is too dry or too wet.
2.On the lowest setting, knead the dough. Knead for five minutes, then rest the machine for five minutes before repeating the process until windows have formed in the dough.
3.Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl to rise until it has doubled in size.
4.Finish the rest of the recipe by shaping, proofing, and baking.


You Do Not Require A Bread Machine


So don't be discouraged if you don't have a bread machine. You can bake bread in your stand mixer on a regular basis if you keep it on low and give the machine a break. For years, I made bread with only a stand mixer and it was fine.


Having said that, a bread machine is inexpensive and makes the process extremely simple. I never recommend baking in the machine, so a simple model will suffice. It's well worth it just for the kneading and rising. They're also widely available at garage sales and thrift stores.


Never let your lack of equipment prevent you from doing something you want to do! Almost always, there is a workaround. So grab your stand mixer and get to work! It's simple!

See more: https://jodysbakery.com/ 

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