Several years ago I was shooting the breeze with a KitchenAid rep when she said, “Let me ask you. How long do you knead bread dough in your mixer?”
“About two minutes,” I replied, “maybe three if I get distracted.”
She was gratified to hear it and expressed her frustration with a misconception that’s become so common online that it’s on the brink of becoming conventional wisdom: that it takes five, ten, twenty minutes or more, even though the owner’s manual flatly states two minutes at Speed 2. Any longer is unecessary, a higher setting risks damaging the mixer.
According to KitchenAid, one minute of kneading with the dough hook generally equals 12 minutes of kneading by hand. Why do so many people insist on more? I have a theory and the KitchenAid rep agreed it’s as good any that can’t be proved. I call it KitchenAid Dough Syndrome and those most vulnerable are home bakers expecting their dough to become baby-bottom smooth while it’s still on the hook.
Here’s what I mean, and you can click on the photos to see them full-size. In this first photo we have dough for herb and garlic baguettes after two minutes of kneading. Notice how clean the mixer bowl is. It was that clean for the full two minutes. This dough is sufficiently-kneaded:
That’s what KitchenAid dough looks like on the hook. Some plain breads become a bit smoother, but not much. But all you have to do is remove it and knead it briefly by hand — and I mean only two or three times — and the dough becomes this smooth and ready for the proofing bowl:
It’s important to remember that the kneading doesn’t begin until the dough forms on the hook and is cleaning the bowl. Once that occurs, set your timer or watch your watch and let the mixer give you 24 minutes’ worth of kneading in only two.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Am I doing it too long if I let it knead in the KA bowl raise mixer until it not only cleans the sides, but the bottom of the bowl? I’ve done the dime test and am confident the beater depth is set correctly. But in my experience the bottom of the bowl is the last thing to clear.
Thx
otrpu
Hi, otrpu – The bottom is often the last to clear. The bowl doesn’t have to become as starkly clean as the one in my photo; anything on the dough hook is being kneaded. The dime test is certainly the one to go by and it sounds as if your beater depth is fine.
Good question – thanks for asking it!
When I start kneading, the dough quickly attaches itself to the hook and just spins round and round. I dont see any mixing . is this ok????
By the time the dough forms a ball it’s already mixed. KitchenAid has said as long as the dough is in contact with the hook, kneading is occurring. I assume your dough rises and that’s proof it was kneaded.
I’d say that 2 minutes might even be too long for some doughs. For artisan breads where you want an open crumb, cut that in half . I use one minute for french bread, and only 30 seconds for ciabatta, which is a very wet dough, and the planetary action works up the gluten very fast. I know, after years of kneading dough by hand it’s hard to believe the KA can do it that fast, but it really does.
Hi, Thomas! It is amazing how quickly and thorougly it kneads, although I’m partial to the food processor for breads. Faster still and more thorough. I think home bakers aren’t helped when they read publicataions such as CI and find recipes using very long knead times for the KitchenAid. CI is right most of the time, but not always.