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Dough "climbs" up the dough hook and isn't properly kneaded

When mixing, sometimes the dough starts climbing up the dough hook and sits still, the dough surely isn't being kneaded?
Mary

Comments

  • It's hard determining an exact solution to your problem, but most of the times there's too much flour in the dough. Mastering control of the amount of flour in your doughs is key to achieving a good knead. Please make sure that the dough knife is attached, reduce the amount of flour and be there to help the machine, some doughs will still climb the hook and needs supervision. Otherwise, try using the dough roller!
    Johan Customer Service
  • Hello Johan
    I do struggle to mix Dough with this machine.
    I have been a professional Baker and purchased this equipment as it promises to make 7 kg of dough.
    I have problems making a Dough of 1.5 kg. I understand that it is only a Household machine
    and that a drier dough can be too much for a small machine. But claiming this mixer makes 7kg
    it's purely an overstatement. It should mix 1.5 kg at any moister content of the dough and it simply doesn't. It's a great machine for anything else but not for Dough.
    You may have some advice here for me .
    Kind regards Andre

    Andre Schneider
  • Hello Andre,

    sorry to hear you are running into trouble with the mixer.

    The capacity of the mixer is 7 liters / 5 kg dough. That's not to say its the ideal size, but it's possible.

    Drier doughs should be kneaded at a lower speed than a "normal" stickier dough. I would reduce the speed so that the dough does not slide on the bottom of the bowl, as well as mixing in the flour at a slower pace. As the dough gets saturated with more flour, the less friction there is between the dough and the bowl, and it'll take a longer time to knead.

    Have a look at our video on the subject of 5kg dough on youtube.

    (227) How to prepare 5 kilos of dough in Ankarsrum - YouTube

    Johan Customer Service
  • I’m over 60 years old, have been making bread just fine for years. I’m really struggling with the Ank.  I can make high hydration doughs ok, but with the roller, it just doesn’t seem to be able to get a good knead on a lower hydration dough.  I’m really frustrated with this machine.
    Hallie Whinnery
  • Hallie,

    lower hydration can be a bit more of a challenge. I would be really careful with the last cup or two of flour when you mix the dough. If the dough gets oversaturated with flour towards the end the machine will have a hard time incorporating the flour since friction is so low. If that still happens and the dough starts to slide, try lowering the speed or help the dough by folding it by hand a few times until you get a stickier dough again.
    Johan Customer Service
  • The video referenced above for a 5 kilo batch uses the dough hook. In all of the videos, the roller is suggested as a better choice. Any reason the dough hook was selected for this large batch rather than the roller?
    Wayne Thayer
  • Hi Wayne,

    the official recommendation as per the manual is to use the hook for bigger doughs, based on 1 liter+ of liquid, while the roller performs better for small doughs.

    Personally? I use the roller for 99% of my baking, only the hook when doing rye or other stiff doughs.

    I suggest you go ahead and try them both and see which tool fits your baking the best.
    Johan Customer Service
  • I am trying to make the multigrain bread from the American Test Kitchen Family Baking Cookbook.  I tried using the dough hook and it just climbed to the end of the hook and spun around with the bowl.  I tried working it down and it reclimb.  After about 20 minutes of this and not close to being kneaded, I thought maybe I chose the wrong attachment.  So I changed to the roller.  I thought I had it adjusted correctly so that it seemed to be similar to the video.  After about 16 minutes, I gave up and kneaded it by hand.  I know with my other machine, I had to have the flour level just right and then it would knead it well.  Perhaps this is my problem?  Anyway, suggestions for how to make this recipe work would be very appreciated.
    Laura
  • Hi Laura,

    generally speaking, little bit less flour than normal goes a long way to avoid climbing of the dough. That said, thicker doughs is prone to climbing just because of their more solid structure. Some dough recipes you will have to keep an eye on, at least until you know how they behave in the mixer.

    If using the roller, adjust it so that it barely moves when the dough passes by. And regarding kneading times, you should rarely need more than 10 minutes of kneading for any dough, you risk breaking the gluten rather that strengthening it.
    Johan Customer Service
  • As Johan would say, best to see a video of how the system is performing. My usual issue is the dough trying to climb out of the bowl, not going to the "bitter end" of the hook. What is the total weight of the doughball? What is the ratio of water to flour?(I don't have that cookbook.)

    If the dough is going to the "bitter end" then you probably are working with a smaller quantity of dough. In this case, try adjusting the position of the hook to get the "bitter end" closer to the side of the bowl. If the dough mixes fine until you hit a critical point where the flour ends up lubricating the interface with the bowl, then you are adding the flour too fast.

    Don't give up! I was disappointed too until everything "clicked".
    Wayne Thayer
  • Thank you Johan and Wayne!  I think that you are probably right about the too much flour.  It seemed like the dough stays still and the bowl turns.  I basically added all the flour quickly.  This weekend if I have a chance to try again I'll take a video.

    It is a recipe that makes the "multigrain" by using 1 c. of 10 grain (or 7 grain) hot cereal with two cups of bowling water. You let the cereal soak and then add 1 c whole wheat and and 2 1/2 - 3 c all purpose, plus margarine, honey, yeast, salt. I've never actually weighed anything for this recipe. I've always just looked in my mixer and said "that looks right." It seems that positioning of the attachments and correct amount of flour are my problem. When do you decide to "lock" the dough hook or roller? When you add about 2/3 of the flour and then slowly add until the correct point? Are you looking for how the dough moves in the bowl to stop adding flour or how it sticks to the bottom of the bowl to stop adding flour?

    Thank you for your help!
    Laura

    Laura
  • I would highly recommend that you watch our two Masterclass videos on YouTube. We have one dedicated to the dough roller and one dedicated to the dough hook. Each video will show you the type of recipe that each tool is best used for. Heavier, low hydration dough or dough you expect to form a ball, should be mixed/kneaded with the dough roller. The dough hook works best with a more silky, high hydration dough. And when all else fails, remember that since 1940, the dough roller has been used for all baking kneads!

    Happy Baking!
    Ashley VP Sales & Marketing

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