Very frustrated at the results I’ve gotten with my Bosch stand mixer. In my mind it would still build gluten structure the same, if not better than, stretch and fold, however the results I’ve gotten are so much worse. From the moment of first mixing dough and through intervals where I would typically stretch and fold, the dough breaks in the mixer while it wouldn’t by hand. Only using lowest setting on a Bosch.
Attaching pics from this week of a hand mixed successful bake and stand mixer fail, same recipe.
For those who use a stand mixer, do you make any adjustments to make it work?
by kristay2k
7 Comments
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You are suppose to do all the kneading with the mixer at the beginning and then leave it to bulk ferment, your loaves are over kneaded as you kept mixing and the gluten has started to break down.
Ps:
1000g bf
750g h2o
200g starter
22g salt
I put the mixer in medium, and until the dough does not come off the sides of the bowl I don’t stop it. As soon as it does, I put it to bulk ferment.
I only use mixer at start when mixing the dough. Then i fold when the dough is rising
Hi. While I possess a syand mixer, I have never used it to mix dough. It’s way too vigorous for my liking.
Kneading vs stretch and fold:
Kneading is a ‘power’ stretch and fold, rapidly and repeatedly. I only use such vigorous handling in the mixing phase to adequately achieve a homogenous dough. Thereafter, I adopt stretch and fold techniques much slower and more gentle. These methods allow the dough to do the work you simply direct it. When the dough has had enough, it will tell you. It will stop stretching. At that point, further forceful stretching will only tear the dough. Rest it. For a minimum of a 1/2 hour. In repeat stretches, the point of resist will come earlier until the point where extensibility occurs. At this stage, your dough will hold shape without tearing and without elastic rebound..
I try to stop gluten development here and go straight to shape, place in banetton (in my case into baking tin), and commence cold retard.
Feeling and seeing the dough change and respond is, for me, a large part of the process.
Happy baking
Yeah, thebflatter loaves remind me of my bread when I used my KitchenAid and was genuinely surprised with my results when I switched to mixing by hand.
I’ve trebled recipes with almost 5.5kg of dough and got fantastic results with simple Stretch and Fold technique.
But if you have a new machine and want to make the most of it I’d recommend the slowest setting when at the autolyse stage and stop once you have JUST hydrated the flour (shaggy stage).
Incorporating the levian mechanically should also be slow and again, IMO, just till combined.
Rest and stretch by hand. Best of both worlds!!