Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2011 04:06:35 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v111.n038 -------------- 001 - Judi Boniface - leaking oil on KA 007 - "Allen Cohn" Subject: Cuisinart mixer Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:48:41 -0400 I've had a 5.5qt. Cuisinart mixer for a couple of years now, I bought it because the people on this list scared me away from the new KAs and I can't justify the expense of a more expensive mixer. I only use it a couple of times a month for bread but more often for other things. At one time last summer when it was extremely hot I found a drop of oil in the bowl once or twice but nothing since then and it doesn't seem to be leaking anywhere. This mixer works really well and has the added benefit of a timer and also a fold button where it just goes around the bowl for a second, really nice for folding in flour or confectioners sugar! It's a little noisy but I guess the KAs are too. The motor seems very strong and doesn't slow down when kneading dough. If you could get this for free (lucky you!) I wouldn't hesitate to get one. The only question would be which size you would really need, if your batches of bread are multi-loaf size you may want the 7 quart size. Hope this helps! Judi --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v111.n038.2 --------------- From: Lorna Lippes Subject: No Knead Bread Variations Date: Sat, 1 Oct 2011 12:53:19 +0000 Hi, I had great success with sourdough rye and sourdough wheat using 1/3 of the whole grain flour and 1/4 cup of sourdough starter mixed in with the water. I've also made rosemary olive, chocolate cherry and raisin pumpernickel breads. Recently I've made challah. By making a less wet dough it can be braided and baked uncovered. The taste is great. The texture is not quite right, it's a bit too dense, but I'm working on it. Lorna --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v111.n038.3 --------------- From: paul johnson Subject: variations on "no knead" bread Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 05:30:26 -0500 NYT no knead bread 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting (get italian bread flour from Sam's Club) 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1 5/8 cups water Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed. 1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. 2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes. *[I've changed step 3&4 without any drop in quality. Put final ball of dough on floured parchment paper for final rise. After dough is on parchment you never have to touch it again. Pick up parchment paper and place in a plastic container with lid, I use a 6 by 13 one. Put lid on and let.rise. Still use 2 hr. or longer rise. When oven and pan are heated just pick up dough by using corners of parchment paper and put in hot pot. By using parchment paper you don't have to take pot out of oven, just take off lid and drop dough in, Lots quicker and a lot less messy. Paper is easily removed after baking.]* 3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger. 4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 F. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. (I have been using one of those small speckled enamel chicken roasters) When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack. *If you find a whole loaf too much, there are two options. At end of first rise, freeze half of dough; takes roughly 24 hours to defrost and raise, perhaps a little less flavor, but not much difference. Or after a day or so of eating when interior of loaf has dried out a little; slice bread and freeze. I freeze in two slice portions just wrapped in cling wrap. 15/20 seconds in microwave completes defrost.* Yield: One 1 1/2-pound loaf. --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v111.n038.4 --------------- From: Will Waller Subject: Re: stand mixers Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 10:08:03 -0500 Gary, I have a KA (the smallest one!) from 1985, still running, used daily. I make 2 loaves every 3rd day, plus the occasional bagel and pizza dough. I crack grains with the grain mill attachment several times a week. All of which is to say, I am a heavy KA machine user. My solution (very cheap) has been to get an extra mixing bowl. Depending on the load, I divide among them. Digital scales make this very simple and fast. The level of effort is very low, the result quite good. I have no trouble with 2000-3000 gram batches. Once you right-size the load to the machine the problems with oil seep should stop. And perhaps equally important... learning to batch across production need is a useful skill. Will --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v111.n038.5 --------------- From: Epwerth15@aol.com Subject: Re: stand mixer Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:10:48 -0400 (EDT) Re: the Cuisinart stand mixer. Gary, I have the 7 qt. Cuisinart mixer and I love it! I bake all our bread as well as a couple of dozen bagels a week and it handles everything beautifully. My only complaint is that it's noisy, but I can live with that. Evie --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v111.n038.6 --------------- From: Judy L Subject: leaking oil on KA Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 10:37:15 -0700 (PDT) Hi Gary, I spoke extensively to Kitchenaid before I bought it. The leaking oil is food grade oil to lubricate the mixer. This mixer is actually made to be used daily. If you don't use it for a week or two, the food grade oil will break down and start leaking. The way to avoid this is to run your mixer at high speed for a minute or two every week or two. You can always get appliance insurance on your mixer from Sears. Judy --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v111.n038.7 --------------- From: "Allen Cohn" Subject: RE: convection oven Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:34:47 -0700 I love the idea of turning on the convection for the last part of the bake of a crusty bread. It's often hard to get a crisp crust on such a loaf because there's too much moisture still in the bread. This probably solves it. (Professional deck ovens have a "vent" setting they often turn on during the last few minutes of a bake. FYI, convection ovens rule for laminated doughs such as croissants, Danish, and puff pastry (as well as pate choux). I wish I had such an oven! Allen SHB San Francisco --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v111.n038.8 --------------- From: "Beth Hinkle" Subject: RE: Cuisinart Mixer Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:48:20 -0700 Hi Gary, I have a 7qt Cuisinart mixer, not the 5 qt, and I love it to pieces. As a former KitchenAid advocate, given my choice I'd pick the Cuisinart every time. It's done everything I've asked it to beautifully and has some features that I just love - like a "fold" speed and an electronic timer. That said, I haven't made much bread it it. Because I live alone now and am not making much bread these days, I use a bread maker to mix my dough now. For cakes, cookie dough and whipping needs, the Cuisinart is a dream. I can't say enough about the machine and highly recommend it. Especially since you can get one for free with your air miles, I'd say "go for it"! If it turns out that you don't love it (though I think that you will), you can find a ready buyer for it. Beth --------------- END bread-bakers.v111.n038 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2011 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved