I finally switched from hand-kneading to a mixer for my weekly bread

Used to spend 20 minutes kneading dough by hand every Sunday, but after I got a KitchenAid last month I can do it in 5. Anyone else find their arms hurt less after making the switch?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy_foster5622d ago

Wait, you seriously kneaded dough by hand for 20 minutes every week before this? That sounds like a nightmare. I got my KitchenAid two years ago and I remember the first time I used it I just stood there watching it work, couldn't believe I had been fighting with sticky dough all those years. My shoulders used to ache something fierce after kneading, especially on humid days. The mixer changed everything, now I throw ingredients in and walk away while it does the hard part. Honestly feels like cheating but I don't care one bit.

knight.diana22d ago

20 minutes of hand kneading is a solid arm workout, but you're missing the biggest issue with humidity. High humidity ruins your dough hydration ratios unless you adjust on the fly, a mixer doesn't fix that. A stand mixer just masks bad technique for a lot of people, especially if you're walking away and not watching how the dough comes together. I've seen more overmixed, tough bread come out of KitchenAids than hand kneaded batches.