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SIX IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS FOR KNEADING DOUGH IN A STAND MIXER

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Jody's Bakery
SIX IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS FOR KNEADING DOUGH IN A STAND MIXER

If the prospect of hand kneading dough has deterred you from baking bread, have you considered mixing dough?

A stand mixer does all the work for you and is less messy than hand kneading. There are, however, a few points to consider when kneading dough in a mixer:


Six Proven Techniques For Kneading Dough In A Stand Mixer


1. Is Your Machine Capable of Handling Bread Dough?


Consult the mixer's instruction manual to ensure that dough can be mixed in the machine, as not all mixers are capable of doing so. Additionally, ensure that the machine's motor is powerful enough to handle the dough. If it cannot, you risk damaging your machine.

I have two stand mixers; the first is 375 watts and struggles with heavy doughs, as the motor is simply not powerful enough.
Our second machine features a much larger 1200 watt motor and is capable of handling bread dough containing up to 1 kg of flour with ease.

2. Make Use Of A Dough Hook


Most stand mixers include this single bent, spiral, or curved attachment. The dough hook is specifically designed for dough and works the dough similarly to hand kneading.

3. Do Not Disconnect From Your Machine


If this is your first time using your stand mixer to make bread dough, I recommend keeping an eye on it while it kneads. Certain machines, particularly those that are light in weight or lack suction cap feet, can "walk" while kneading.

If this occurs, you have two options: either hold onto the machine while it works or move it to the back of the bench as it approaches the front.
This may not occur with every batch of dough you make, as some doughs are soft and do not require as much travel from the machine. Then there are doughs that are thicker and heavier, putting additional strain on the machine and causing it to move across the kitchen bench.

4. Kneading Dough in a Mixer Takes Less Time Than You Believe


How long does kneading dough in a mixer take?


As a general rule, kneading the dough for up to 10 minutes is sufficient, but may require slightly more or less time depending on the capabilities of the machine and the speed setting used. Finally, you should monitor the progress of the dough structure throughout the kneading process; it will "tell you" when to stop.

5. When To Put An End To Kneading


When should you stop kneading dough?


At the beginning of the kneading process, the dough will appear lumpy and wet, sticking to the sides of the bowl. As you continue kneading, the dough will pull together and become smoother in texture, as well as less likely to stick to the sides of the bowl. At this point, you can perform a simple test to determine if the dough is ready, called the windowpane test.

Break off a golf ball-sized piece of dough and gently stretch and pull it until it becomes very thin; if the dough breaks or tears during the stretching process, it requires additional kneading.

When the dough has been sufficiently kneaded, it becomes soft and malleable, allowing it to be stretched out to form a very thin transparent membrane that will not tear or break and will allow light to pass through.
If the window pane test indicates that the dough does require additional kneading, continue kneading for up to 1 minute longer, then repeat the window pane test. Stop kneading once the dough has passed the windowpane test. If you continue kneading without pausing, you risk over-kneading the dough.


6. Prevent Excessive Kneading


What happens if you knead the dough for an excessive amount of time?


When working with a stand mixer, dough can easily become overworked. Over-kneaded dough is difficult to push and flatten and will not meld together when folded, resulting in a bread with a hard crust and crumbly interior.


To avoid this, always monitor the progress of the dough and perform the windowpane test as described above. You should have perfect dough every time.

See more: https://jodysbakery.com/ 

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