Reply To: Hand Mixing

Diane,

I want to talk with you about this and understand a little more. What I”m hearing… 12 loaves is your hand mix quantity. With the most recent adjustments that is like mixing now 13 loaves. I think you can see in the videos that I’m often wetting my hands and that water is helpful. I don’t have an exact amount for that but it does make the process easier. What I can’t tell is when you are needing this. Is it during the autolyse, that doesn’t make sense to me. But if it is in incorporation I think the answer is the wet hands.

But let’s also talk about how to best use the combination of hand mixing and mixer. Watch the be kind to your kitchen aid as a bit of a framework for the following suggestion:

1. Measure and weigh out everything for 12
2. Levain for 12
3.  Autolyse for 12
4.  Make the porridge for 12
5. divide the yeast and salt for 1/3, 1/3, 1/3

Mix –

Stage 1 – use 1/3 of the levain, 1/3 of the autolyse, 1/3 of the yeast – mix in KitchenAid on low until one smooth dough. Remove from mixing bowl place into a large bowl, and repeat this step 2 more times with the remaining items.

Stage 2 – Now we want to add the salt – the delay is good, development is happening and the salt is gong to tighten up the gluten. Plus, you might want to feel the salt dissolving in the dough. So add the salt to the big bowl and with wet hands cut it in and then knead it in until you cannot feel any salt granuals.

Stage 3 – Slap and fold if that is your preference and/or use the kitchen aid to achieve desired gluten development, window pane.

Step 4 – Now cut in your porridge, do you do that as 12 loaves, or maybe 6 loaves worth at a time? Just looking to get it fully incorporated, no pockets of dough or porridge.

Step 5 – order an Ankarsrum or the 7 or 8 quart professional KitchenAid, don’t get anything less powerful than the 7 or 8 quart. Because you, like many in our brigade, are a bread warrior.

Let me know how this addresses some of your challenges and let’s brainstorm some more if needed!

Katherine