Stand Mixers
Make Bread with a Stand Mixer: 7 Expert Tips
What’s better than fresh homemade bread? It’s fun and relaxing to make and can even be a great family activity. Best of all, it creates a mouth-watering aroma that wafts through your home.
Both accomplished and rookie bakers who want to add bread baking to their repertoire, should learn how to expertly make homemade bread with a KitchenAid® stand mixer.
This guide to making stand mixer bread with a KitchenAid® stand mixer can help you start exploring a variety of bread recipes that span skill level and techniques. Using a stand mixer can help streamline even the most technically challenging bread recipes by evenly mixing together ingredients just before kneading the dough all in the same bowl.
DOES A KITCHENAID® MIXER KNEAD BREAD?
You can absolutely knead dough in a stand mixer. In fact, it is easier and more efficient than kneading by hand. The kneading rhythm used in stand mixer bread recipes is designed to develop gluten strands that provide the necessary structure to the bread when baked.
Using a stand mixer to knead dough is much easier on your wrists and will also reduce the kneading time. This way you can efficiently knead, shape and proof your dough.
1. HOW LONG SHOULD I KNEAD BREAD DOUGH IN A KITCHENAID® MIXER?
Mix bread dough for no more than 2 minutes and then, depending on the recipe, knead for 2–4 minutes. Make sure you avoid over-kneading by adapting the hand-kneading time required in your favourite recipes.
2 minutes might not seem like a lot of time compared to hand-kneaded dough, but a KitchenAid® mixer is meant to alleviate some of the work, reduce the time and increase your efficiency when you knead bread dough.
Always set a timer to achieve the best results. If you don’t use a timer, you can gauge if the dough has been kneaded for too long if it starts to climb the hook towards the mixer.
A perfectly kneaded dough should form into a ball and clean the sides of the bowl. Remember, though, that this is dependent on if your ingredients were properly measured and mixed.
If a recipe calls for butter, this butter measurement guide might be helpful to you.
2. WHAT SPEED SHOULD I USE TO KNEAD DOUGH IN A STAND MIXER?
We recommend only mixing bread dough on speed 2. At a lower speed, the mixer won’t deliver enough momentum to effectively knead the dough.
3. DECIDING WHICH STAND MIXER ACCESSORY IS MEANT TO KNEAD DOUGH?
Depending on the model of your stand mixer and bowl, there are two types of dough hooks—“C” shaped or Spiral shaped. A good rule to follow is to use whichever dough hook comes with your stand mixer or bowl. If you purchase another bowl in a different size, you should check which hook will work with it. Also, if you buy an additional hook, double check that it is compatible with your bowl because these are not always interchangeable.
“C” DOUGH HOOK
This dough hook accompanies certain bowl-lift models and all KitchenAid® tilt-head stand mixer models. This dough hook works by pushing the dough off the sides of the bowl and then kneading it.
SPIRAL DOUGH HOOK
Certain large capacity bowl-lift models have a “powerknead” spiral hook. This is uniquely shaped kind of like a corkscrew and is able to knead the dough by pushing it off the bowl’s bottom. This hook should only be used with the mixer models and bowls that come with it.
Do not use this hook with a mixer or bowl that it isn’t meant for as it can damage the mixer.
4. WHAT FLOUR IS BEST TO MAKE STAND MIXER BREAD?
The good news is that you can use just about any kind of flour, perfect for experimenting with a range of stand mixer bread recipes and techniques. Remember that your bowl is capable of holding more all-purpose flour than specialty flours like whole wheat and bread flours. This is because specialty flours tend to become bulkier when mixed with wet ingredients.
Make sure that you do not exceed the capacity of your mixer bowl.
Feel free to explore a variety of specialty flours, including Amaranth or locally grown heirloom varieties of wheat to decide which flavours and textures you like best. You can even experiment with custom flour blends, by using the KitchenAid® Grain Mill Attachment. This stand mixer attachment lets you mill your own flours, so you can control the quality and flavour of your ingredients.
Are you looking for consistent results for your homemade bread? If so, you need to ensure that your flour is fluffy and well-sifted and that all your ingredients are weighed precisely. The KitchenAid® Sifter + Scale Attachment is designed so you can achieve both quality and consistency by letting you sift and weigh ingredients right into the bowl. It’s precise and easy!
Discover all the stand mixer attachments you will ever need for your stand mixer bread recipes.
5. HOW MUCH WATER DO I NEED TO KNEAD DOUGH?
How much water you need to knead dough depends on the recipe, flour type, and the humidity and temperature of your kitchen.
The process includes slowly and deliberately adding water down the side of the bowl to your dry ingredients while mixing on speed 2. Retain some of the water from your recipe, and if your dough appears to be a little dry, add a touch more until the dough comes together and starts pulling away from the side of the bowl.
6. HOW DO I STOP THE DOUGH FROM CLINGING TO THE STAND MIXER BOWL?
You can stop the dough from sticking to the sides of the stand mixer bowl only by using the proper ratio of liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. You shouldn’t add any oil or another non-stick ingredient as this could cause the recipe to produce different results.
7. I NEED A RECIPE FOR MAKING BREAD WITH A KITCHENAID® STAND MIXER
Use any of your favourite recipes as long as you adjust the kneading time.
Start with this Basic Bread recipe if you’re new to this technique and want to master the basics. If you’re ready to level up and want a bread that uses specialty flours, try this Whole Wheat Flax Seed Bread recipe.
Learn more tips and techniques for getting amazing results with your stand mixer by reading The Art of Creating Crusty Bread.
DISCOVER THE IDEAL KITCHENAID® STAND MIXER FOR CREATING HOMEMADE BREAD
We offer a complete line of tilt-head and bowl-lift stand mixers with a variety of bowl capacities.
The tilt-head mixer provides easy access to the bowl and accessories by tilting back. These models are compatible with bowls ranging in size from 3 to 5 quart (2.8L-4.7L) with a recipe that calls for a maximum amount of 4½ lbs (2 kg) of bread dough.
The bowl-lift mixer bowl works by being secured to the base by two arms. These arms can lift the bowl into place under the beater and provide stability to handle large or heavy batches. Bowl capacities range from 4.5 to 7 (4.2L-6.6L)quarts for up to 8¼ lbs (3.7 kg) of bread dough. An 8 quart (7.5L) commercial stand mixer is great for a bakery or for home bakers who sell their bread at a local farmers’ market.
If you’re not quite sure which model of KitchenAid® stand mixer you need for your skill level and cooking and baking needs, head over to our article on the difference between tilt-head vs. bowl-lift stand mixers to learn more.
Whatever KitchenAid® stand mixer you purchase, you will be able to experience the freedom that this powerful and durable countertop appliance delivers.
Model: KSM175PSHY
Colour: Honey
$514.99
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