Warning: I thought using a stand mixer for bread was a waste of time

I always kneaded my sourdough by hand, thinking a KitchenAid would just overheat the dough. Last week, I gave it a shot on a 75% hydration loaf and set the timer for 8 minutes on speed 2. The dough came out perfectly smooth and passed the windowpane test way faster than I ever could by hand. I'm a total convert now. Anyone else have a baking tool they were wrong about?

4 comments

4 Comments

drewr152mo ago

Wait, you only ran it for eight minutes? My hand kneading takes at least twenty to get that kind of smoothness. I figured a machine would need way longer to do the same work.

blairc9012d ago

See machines take the arm work out but keep the learning curve in, like power tools vs hand saws.

the_rowan2mo ago

Nah, you lose the feel of the dough.

price.ben2mo ago

But what if the feel is the problem? A machine gives you the same result every time, which is way better for beginners. You can focus on the recipe, not your tired arms.