Just realized my stand mixer is way better than a hand mixer for bread dough

I tried making the same white bread recipe twice this week. First time, I used my hand mixer with the dough hooks, and it took like 15 minutes of mixing and my arm was killing me. The dough never got smooth. Second time, I used my KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook on speed 2 for 8 minutes. The dough came out perfect and the rise was way better. Is the stand mixer really that much better for yeast doughs, or did I just mess up the first try?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer_chen62d ago

You used a hand mixer for bread dough? That's brave, mine would probably start smoking. Those little motors aren't built for that kind of work, it's like trying to pull a trailer with a scooter. The stand mixer has the power and weight to really develop the gluten without shaking itself to pieces. Makes sense your dough turned out so much better, right?

phoenixcampbell2d ago

Oh man, I learned that lesson the hard way too. Burned out a cheap hand mixer on a basic pizza dough. The key is to only use it for the first wet and dry mix, just until it comes together. Then you have to finish by hand on the counter, kneading for a good ten minutes. It's a workout, but it saves your mixer and actually gives you a feel for when the dough is right.