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Re: Mixer woes

Debunix <debunix@well.com>
Sun, 4 Jun 2006 16:16:45 -0500
v106.n023.12
I wonder how much of that is cheapening the parts and design, because 
so many of us have decades-old models that are still doing the 
job.  I never made more than two loaves at once in mine, but it 
nothing ever snapped on it.  And it's never seen a repair shop.

My father had good luck for many years with a large Kenwood machine, 
but a quite different alternative is to use a food processor.  You 
need a sturdy one with a large mixing bowl.  I make virtually all my 
breads in my 14-cup Cuisinart, but it will only do one loaf at a 
time.  I adapt the various recipes to the basic procedure outlined 
very clearly in "The Best Bread Ever" by Charles Van Over.

The quick versions is to put all the dry ingredients in the bowl 
together, with the metal blade (not the plastic dough blade!), using 
instant yeast with the dry ingredients, then with the motor running, 
add all the liquid ingredients at once.  Let a dough form, turn off 
the processor and let the dough rest for 5-15 minutes while the flour 
takes up the liquid (the "hydrolyse").  Turn the processor back on 
and mix about 45 seconds.  Pause and adjust the flour/water if needed 
during this 45 seconds, and add any butter or solid fats towards the 
end. Wait until the last 10-15 seconds to mix in any solids like nuts 
or fruits.  Turn out onto a floured board and shape & let rise as you 
normally do.

The keys to this are to use COLD liquids--water from the refrigerator 
or ice water--so the intense fast mix won't overheat the final dough 
and kill the yeast; to use instant yeast with the dry ingredients 
although I've also had good results using sourdough starters if they 
were dissolved first into the cold liquid ingredients); and to be 
careful about the timing until you're comfortable with the technique, 
because it is very easy to overknead.

Diane Brown in St. Louis	

http://www.well.com/user/debunix/recipes/FoodPages.html