Baking or making breads will always be a contentious issue for me. While the maker has come up with so many models and almost neurotically flooded, i mean practically summoning all colors imaginable for use in the kitchen, Kitchenaid has them. Enough to drive ALL OF US MAD AND OBSESSIVE.
aAdmit it. You covet a couple of these mixers, one in your favorite color and maybe one of those big commercial 7 quart thinking it would solve all your bread making problems. My first one says i can use Speed 4 to mix a 10 minute Pullman or Dinner Roll. My latest acquisition, which is a 5 quart this time says only Speed 2. If you are a bread enthusiast, you know 10 MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH.
Why the change? I mean if you are going to upgrade, shouldn't that be a step higher WITH more torque, more uuumph and tolerance? This to me sound like a regression. Just thinking. I bought the mixer here in New York, never tested the mixer just peeked through the box and brought it with me last August.
In the middle of the Icing class, the mixer's speed control gave up. It was a complete stoppage, like the traffic in EDSA when there is a major rally at Ortigas. I was so embarrassed, good thing we were almost done. If you are like me, madadala ka ng bumili ng Kitchenaid. For sure, i had to convince the guy in Robinson's to check the speed dial, with the heeding that had their boss been there, he would never touch my mixer.
Naayos rin, turns out he has a spare speed control in his cabinet. Sabi niya, they will only fix mixers bought in their store, and that my speed dial is not available in theirs even if the model is new. Now i never used this mixer for breads, just cakes and if it bogged down doing minor tasks, how much more if i mix a 500 gram dough?
How come, i ask you this that my old 1995 4.5 KA still mixes cakes even if it went under Ondoy and this one gave up after just two months of use? Hmmm. I thought KitchenAids last a lifetime, what happened?
Anyway, because i was so afraid my KAs will choke again, i developed a way to use it more wisely, saving the length in mixing and preserving its motor run by adapting the Sponge and Dough method. It was amazing.
These photos show you my first try using the Sponge and dough method, not bad considering the poor quality of flour i am forced to use. This is just a generic all purpose flour i get from the local Walmart store so do not expect this to work on an Ensaimada. This is a plain Whole Wheat Bun which is excellent for sandwiches.
Having trouble using your KAs for breads? Check out my website for more stories, www.breadmakinglessons.com. Now of course, you can mix as much as 600 grams in your 5 quart mixer, and 700 grams for 6 quarts and still this does not mean you can use it to SELL BREADS. I use my 20 or 10 quarts if i want to make bigger batch.
I reduced the sugar in this bread and that is why i BADLY NEED my Kitchenaid to mix my breads. Just a small batch for me, my family will not eat this bread because it has very litle sugar with a hint of Malunggay. Ooops. Word of caution since 90% of my students with KAs have already sent theirs to the garage. Do not let your mixer to heat up. Let it rest. Machines go through stress like us too.
For starters i cannot make this Hard Monay if i did not bring any 3rd class flour or soft weak flour to New York. Once i ran out of 3rd class and tried Cake Flour, it turned bad, do not even think of using All Purpose, it will be soft but not chewy as this one made with yes, 3rd class indeed. So third class is hard to find here in the US if you will use that term. You have to say or look for soft wheat flour, that's it, not hard wheat flour, not cake or All purpose but something in between these two. It is easy to find in the Phil., just ask your local bakery suppliers and they know it is Tercera. Tercera is not for bread, bakers use it basically for cookies, cakes and other pastries, but we bakers know how to create bread recipes using part of this flour with the bread flour or hard wheat flour. It makes a softer version of any of your fave breads, with a cheaper price tag. Plus if i own a bakery, i get to use the third class for my cakes and cookies, lowering my food cos...
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