Ankarsrum Vs Hand Knead

[@conleyjeff23]

It is best to start with roller against the side of the machine. Add all of your liquids first and the Slowly add your flour. When you see the flour start to go up against the sides of the bowl move the roller maybe 1/2 inch in and lock it. Slowly add more of your flower until you see it building up the side again and you can move the roller a little farther in if you need to but you shouldnt really need to go past an inch from the wall. Continue adding the rest of your flour . This method will help you to get the "doughnut" with your dough strengthening the gluten. This is what works for me. Also I usually dont need to go over the 4 oclock position.

[@twistybakes5681]

Thanks for the tips, first time anyone mentioned speed!

[@badjujuwan]

Thanks for this. I just got mine a few days ago and was having some trouble with it. The bread came out great, but I should have read the instructions first.

[@michaelmcnally1242]

Yes, that circulating "donut" is absolutely the key, especially for wetter doughs. For me 75% is easy. It stays a donut through 15 minutes of needing (mostly), and that builds an amazing amount of dough strength. After that knead, picking up the dough and folding it is like you're on your 4th stretch-and-fold cycle. It takes a little while to get used to the dough looking like a floppy mess, I know. To me however that's the best thing the machine does (and I don't use it for much else lately). Adding the flour slowly, you'll see when you get to the point that thin "sheets" of dough are forming on the downstream side of the roller. There's your gluten forming. e: oh sorry, comment necromancy :)

[@phshon]

If you have to knead it for 15 minutes by hand, what’s the point of an $750.00 mixer?

[@twistybakes5681]

The hand-knead was a comparison, showing the results compared to the same recipe made in the Ank. I wanted to see how the Ank performed compared to hand-knead.

[@Bassbarbie]

@@twistybakes5681 a worthwhile comparison, thank you

[@WhichOrThat]

I agree that a couple stretch and folds at 10 and 20 minutes after a 10-12 minute mix definitely improves the gluten development. The next step up is a spiral mixer which is close to $1,500 for a small household 120 volt model with removable bowl for easy cleaning. Thanks for this experiment. It confirmed my own informal conclusions.

[@twistybakes5681]

Thanks for the comment! It's not exactly scientific, but was a way for me to document my learning journey with the Ank. I throw this basic bread together quickly and simply now I am getting the hang of it and the right settings.

[@cathrinastorp1858]

Unfortunately you are using the ankarsrum machine incorrectly 😉🙂

[@twistybakes5681]

Can you share exactly what is incorrect, and how I might improve my technique?

[@cathrinastorp1858]

@@twistybakes5681 I hope you can use this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWGWp618pr9rmqM I thought she was really good at telling about the different things that need to be taken into account along the way.

[@twistybakes5681]

It's funny, but none of the popular Ank demo videos show higher hydration dough, they are all quite dry. I agree there is useful stuff in that video. My technique has changed a lot in the last year and is like this now. However, that is a crazy low hydration bread - 16 cups of flour and about 36fl oz of water (2000g flour/1022ml water) is a crazy low hydration of around 50%...for wholewheat flour, she needs to add improver to get it to rise. Sounds like a very dry bread, as it isn't wet enough to rise without improver. She mentions she isn't a bread baker, so credit is due. And this is why a lot of the Ank videos are misleading..."add flour until you get the donut" is not a recipe, it's a cop-out. A machine should work for any recipe, not adapt it to the machine (quantities I mean, not technique). And these days, I think I've nailed it for higher hydration loaves.

[@cathrinastorp1858]

So that was not the correct video I wanted to send you. The video that helped me was one that dealt with the proper use of speed. So a lower speed. If I come to mind where I found it in your language I will let you know.

[@cathrinastorp1858]

@@twistybakes5681 You are completely right! I mean, I stumbled across another video but I just have to see if I can find it and it was probably some pizza dough or sourdough.

[@zebedee147]

I'd try a higher hydration personally. The roller attachment is supposed to mimic fingers very gently massaging the bread so yes you should expect longer mixing times, and it isn't a 'conventional' machine so maybe adapt your recipes ?

[@twistybakes5681]

Interesting! My recipe is fine when hand kneaded. I figure a $600 machine should be able to do something simple, right?

[@twistybakes5681]

@@lizzforyou No, I'm used to making bread in a Kenwood Chef, which has been consistent for me for 12 years. I use the hand-knead to compare results with the same recipe because my Kenwood is in another country. The Kenwood turns out dough that is pretty identical to hand-kneaded dough. The use of this video is learning - seeing how results vary with different techniques. It's a series of videos as I learn to get the best out of the Ank - certainly after spending $600 I wasn't looking to be disappointed. What doesn't help is Ankarsrum themselves have rubbish instructions on how to use their machines. I hope that my learning journey, documented here, will help future Ank owners.

[@silhill7066]

This is not the right way to make your bread dough with the ankarsrum That’s why your dough is not getting the consistency you want. If you look into the way how you need to use it the right way you get perfect dough though. I have problems with my hands so too me it is a great assistent. I hope you give it a second chance. Greetz from The Nederlands

[@twistybakes5681]

Fair comments! In the months since this video my technique with the Ank has got much better - but to be honest, I still don't feel like it's as good as my Kenwood Chef. Don't get me wrong, I do love the machine and I want it work! A lot of comments have said "you need to learn how to use it" and I agree. It's a shame that ANKARSRUM DO NOT INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONS. Buy a Kenwood, get a complete recipe with hints on techniques. The Ank documentation is useless. There isn't even a link to videos of recommended techniques - just lots of KZbinrs all doing it differently :D Anyway, if my videos help even one person make better bread, I'm happy.

[@sashineb.2114]

@@twistybakes5681 I just wish Kenwood had better support in North America. I would love their 7 quart Titanium with the stainless steel bowl tools. But none of the stores carry them any more, since you-know-who rules the North American mixer market. However, there are online places that carry them, just not sure what would happen if service was needed.

[@gillgreen3446]

@@sashineb.2114 Have you looked at Amy learns to cook on KZbin. She bought and demonstrated hers about a year ago. She might know where you can get and about service in US. I’m in UK have and love my Kenwood titanium but Kenwood were bought out by Delonghi several years ago. They still make the titanium but it’s not the same. You might do better looking for a second hand one. You can still get parts and attachments for even very old ones online if you can’t find a new one.

[@sashineb.2114]

@@gillgreen3446 Hi Gill, thanks for your comment. Yes, I subscribe to Amy's channel and I've re-watched her Kenwood videos many times. I love the Titanium (although I'm really used to my bowl-lift KitchenAid rather than the tilt-head mixers.) Still, the Titanium looks solid, with those big stainless steel bowl tools (K Beater etc). Right now, due to the pandemic, supplies are low everywhere, but even at the best of times, we just don't get the Kenwood products like in UK and Europe. Until about five years ago, our department stores had lots of Cooking Chefs, KMix mixers, Titaniums, etc., but then they stopped selling them due to KA being so popular. I know that Kenwood sold to DeLonghi and that the machines are now made in China. I have a KitchenAid from 1989, still going strong (made with the Hobart specs, which were very durable). Do you know anybody who uses a newer Kenwood Titanium? Just wondering how durable it is. Looks strong, but for how long? Many thanks. And then, if it ever needed service, would I regret not buying KA again?

[@voidremoved]

@@twistybakes5681 That is funny about the Ankarsrum. I see videos of it either commercial with actors, or there is reviews/demo by youtubers who do not know what they are doing and all the comments saying "you are doing it wrong". So I try one for myself but I keep doing it wrong

[@sandormegyesi8435]

Dear TwistyBakes! I can't tell you how happy I am right now, to find your video...I gave an order of a new Ank here in Hungary couple a weeks ago. My Ank will arrive in a month or two due to Covid. So I have a plenty of time to change my mind... Wathing as much video of Ank as available on youtube I am not convinced completely about the Ank's efficiency. Your honest thoughts are the first at the first time which ask about the efficiency of this machine. So....by the reason of your video, it helped me, I decided to not buy the Ank. Thank you man, for helping me to avoid a superflux expense. (Sorry of my English)

[@twistybakes5681]

Hey, I am glad I could help, even if you decided it isn't for you. At my place in Singapore I've used a Kenwood Chef Titanium (NOT the kMix!) for 10 years with excellent results. It's a bit more traditional as a rotary mixer, and I much prefer over various Bosch and KitchenAid machines I've tried. Not sure how available that is in Hungary though. My mother's Kenwood Chef is around 45 years old and still going strong!

[@HotVoodooWitch]

Maybe you should watch The Bread Beckers video, as well as AnkarsrumUSA's.