A bread mixer is necessary for yeast-based bread and pizza dough recipes due to the high ratio of dry to wet ingredients. Some stand mixers have dough hooks for yeast-free dough, but most cannot mix yeast dough effectively. Bread making machines are successful dough kneaders but hold small amounts of ingredients. Heavy-duty mixers claim to function as bread mixers, but many consumers disagree. Investing in a commercial-grade mixer is recommended for home bakers.
A bread mixer is a kitchen appliance capable of thoroughly incorporating dry and wet ingredients into yeast-based bread and pizza dough recipes. Most hand mixers, as well as many stand mixers, are proficient at mixing ingredients for cake, cookie, and quick bread batters that don’t contain yeast. Most, however, cannot mix yeast bread dough effectively because the ratio of dry ingredients to wet ingredients is so much higher than in any other recipe; a bread mixer is usually required.
Some popular brands of stand mixers include dough hooks in their attachments. This is a useful tool for kneading yeast-free dough as it produces the desired smoothness and elasticity in a much shorter period of time than kneading by hand. Yeast bread dough, however, cannot be kneaded until it is thoroughly and evenly mixed, the task many mixers fail at. A mixer may occasionally succeed in mixing the dough properly, but the risk of permanently damaging its motor is high. Forcing the machine to send can also be a difficult and fiddly experience.
When bread making machines were introduced, many proved not only successful dough kneaders, but most also produced high quality yeast breads. The machine was often used to mix and knead bread dough, and then the cook baked the bread in a traditional oven. These machines are well equipped for mixing and kneading yeast doughs, but most hold very small amounts of ingredients and are much more difficult to clean than a traditional mixing bowl and dough hook.
Many manufacturers of heavy-duty mixers claim their machines are capable of functioning as bread mixers, but a significant number of consumers disagree. Most complaints focus on the mixer overheating when more than five or six cups of flour are added to the bowl. Some users have noted that the mixers not only failed to fully incorporate the dry and wet ingredients, but also failed to provide enough energy to properly develop the gluten. This commonly results in a poorly risen bread.
If a home baker finds a bread maker too awkward and difficult to clean, but simply can’t give up the desire to bake homemade bread, investing in a commercial-grade mixer is highly recommended. These mixers are normally quite expensive, however. Used models can often be found for much lower prices at auction sites or commercial kitchen appliance clearance sales. It is also advisable to stay informed about new and more powerful consumer mixers as they are introduced to the market.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
