[skeptic7]

My plan for my next Mixer experiment is to make challah. Probably this recipe.
Any advice? I will only try a three braid bread. I might divide the dough and make two small Challah instead of one big one.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/mollys-challah-recipe

[skeptic7]

I used my kitchenaid to make "Japanese Milk Rolls" from the KA flour recipe. I tried to follow the directions and ended up with 10 very large, very fluffy rolls. I think I would have preferred smaller rolls. This time I didn't time how long I kneaded the dough just kept the machine on till the dough start crawling up the hook. The dough was very soft even after I added additional flour. I was happier with the mixer this time since I was concentrating on its strength in mixing and kneading bread dough, and not expecting it to do other things like cream butter or beat eggs.

[skeptic7]

I went to look at the Kitchen Aid site. The spiral hook isn't made for the 5 qt mixers. They do have replacements for the paddle beater available.
Some of the KA attachments look very interesting especially the meat grinder and pasta maker. I can't see myself using these but they are interesting.

[skeptic7]

I cut my 9x13 quick bread into 3 sections the long way and then slice each section. This gives me quick bread sticks or rather short slices. It freezes nicely and is still a good shape for spreading butter or cream cheese. The slices are very short, but still "slices" instead of "squares".
This was recommended on a web site and I'll try to find it.

here is the web site
http://heidimix.blogspot.com/2014/05/quick-bread-for-crowd.html

[skeptic7]

Thanks for looking that up! Have you thought of just baking shallower breads? I normally make mine in a cast iron frying pan so perhaps 2 inches high. I've made double batches in a 9x13 pan so also fairly shallow. Not traditional shapes but it cooks completely in half the time or less.

[skeptic7]

Mike;
Have you ever overkneaded a dough when kneading by hand? I've kneaded some doughs for a considerable amount of time without getting close. I've always assumed that I would get bored before reaching the limit. I had one cookbook that recommended overkneading to make good English Muffins so thought it would be possible.
I am surprised that it would take 30 minutes to overknead by machine. I was afraid that kneading only a minute or two too long would have problems.
Thanks

[skeptic7]

Good Morning all;
First thanks for all your good advice on machine kneading. Otherwise I would have panicced and worried about overkneading.
The start of this was much like doing it by hand. Mix the sponge ingredients and let it rise. Stir together cocoa, sugar, salt and part of flour. Reserve the rest of the flour in a convenient container.
The first change was beating the eggs and butter together. I don't think the mixer was made for such small amounts. It would have been faster by hand especially trying to cream the butter. The butter was still in chunks when I gave up.
Then I mixed in the sponge and that went better. However it is much harder to add ingredients than with a tilt head mixer. Lowering the bowl doesn't really give clearance to pour in ingredients, and taking the bowl out lets the beater drip onto the base. Also using a spatula to scrape the bowl is harder.
I then changed to the dough hook and added most of the dry ingredients. A hook is a really inefficient mixing tool. The mixer bowl is hard to scrape down even in its lower position. I found I could unfasten the hook and then the bowl so I could effectively run a scraper along the sides. Its also wierd to trying to carefully add the flour without using your hands to gauge the stickiness. This is where I was so glad for your advice. I went over the 2 minutes of kneading and then decided to continue until the sides were cleaner and the dough started climbing the hook. I think I went around 6 minutes, then added the walnuts and cherries and kneaded 2 more minutes.
I left the dough in the mixing bowl to rise, and started cleaning up. This made less of a mess than kneading by hand and took less time. Washing the mixer was a little awkward, I had to put it on its side to clean the underside of the head. The nice thing was that the mixing bowl was a good size to let the dough rise. I just put a pan lid on it and left it.
This made 24 rolls which baked up nicely and turned out light and fluffy. A little drier than last time.

[skeptic7]

Chocomouse, I am glad that you are well and safe. I went through Vermont last month and Interstate was being repaired in places. I guess with all the mountains the rain will just be funnelled into the lower areas very quickly. I hope the covered bridges survive. KA was having computer troubles when I stopped by on June 29.

[skeptic7]

I think I am going to do a Chocolate yeast bread, its the last bread I made by hand and I want to see how the experience differs. I used all the tricks to make hand kneading easier starting with a sponge, then resting the dough before kneading, and kneading the butter into the dough instead of adding it earlier. Since I use the butter on my hands and the kneading board I don't need to add as much flour giving a moister dough.
Now it seems that instead of kneading for half an hour, I only have to knead for 2 minutes and don't have to worry about easiest ways to mix ingredients.

[skeptic7]

I found the model number and the serial number and it looks like it was made in February 2006. It was very expensive new, no wonder it was a group gift. It is old enough that I don't feel too bad at offering less than a third of the original price.

[skeptic7]

I did baked pancakes -- my normal whole wheat pancakes but baked in the oven until done. Chocomouse is right this is easier and less likely to burn than doing them on the stove top. Ate half of them with strawberries and Greek yogurt for breakfast; and the other half for lunch.

[skeptic7]

I did another chocolate yeast bread using a different recipe. This one has walnuts but no cherries and I used more butter than the recipe called for, and added some potato flakes. I also formed it into rolls instead of a loaf. Its been about 4 days since it was baked and its still fairly soft and tasty.

[skeptic7]

Chocomouse; I'm in Lexington Ky currently so haven't experienced any smoke yet. I'm hoping that the wind patterns never bring the smoke this far West.

[skeptic7]

I never thought of a Texas Sheet Cake in anything but chocolate. I've a friend who would love this, he likes strawberries.

[skeptic7]

chocomouse;
How are things in New England? Friends in the DC area are complaining about the Canadian smoke problem and you are even closer.
Also how did you like baked pancakes? I only did it once and I like the sort of pancakes fine but didn't feel an urge to try it again. It would probably work better in the winter than summer as the whole oven would need to heat up. today was relatively cool but the previous 5 days were very hot.

[Author]

Posts