An electric mixer with dough hook doesn't necessarily make
better bread. It's just easier than hand mixing for some folks.
The book "Secrets of a Jewish Bread Baker" says that it is best
to
fully load the bowl of the mixer and there are mixer versions
(larger batches) of all the recipes in that book. There may be
other helpful mixer hints in that book; I just skimmed it at a
bookstore.
One problem that can occur, at least with the large KA mixer,
is having flour thrown out of the bowl making a mess in the
kitchen. You just need to keep the speed very low until most of
the flour is incorporated. Increase the speed gradually until
kneading begins.
When kneading with the dough hook, look for the dough to hold
together, clean the bowl and form a shape that begins slapping
against the bowl sides. Stay with the mixer so it doesn't walk
off the counter. Stop and feel the dough occasionally judging
it's elasticity and wetness, just as you would with hand
kneading.
Mixers generally take 1/3 to 1/2 the time that hand kneading
would require.
Most people still want to do a little hand kneading at the end
to round the dough before rising or just to have that great
feel of live dough in their hands.
Rosemary Grimm, GARVANZA, CALIFORNIA
The Blue Ribbon Bakery
http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/4496
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Learn as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die
tomorrow. --Gandhi
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