How to Knead Bread With a Dough Hook

Artisan bread is easier to make when using a dough hook.

Though homemade bread is always a treat, many a home cook does not believe she has the time to make a loaf. From start to finish, it can take hours before the bread is ready to come out of the oven. Though each step of making bread is important, the one that takes the most effort -- kneading the dough -- can easily be done in a stand mixer. With a dough hook attachment, kneading by hand is not required, and fresh bread is easily within reach.

Things You'll Need

• Stand mixer
• Paddle attachment
• Dough hook attachment
• Bread recipe
• Ingredients for bread
• Oiled bowl to allow bread to rise (depending on the recipe)

Instructions

1. Add ingredients to stand mixer bowl per your recipe. Most bread recipes call for mixing all wet ingredients and all dry ingredients together, with part of the flour reserved to add slowly during mixing. Bread recipes also call for a range of flour -- 4 to 5 cups, for example. This is because humidity level, moisture level in flour and other factors influence the actual amount of flour needed.

2. Insert the paddle attachment -- not the dough hook -- and mix ingredients on low speed. Continue to mix until the dough sticks to the paddle when the paddle moves around the bowl. The dough will still be somewhat sticky, not smooth -- this is the "shaggy dough" stage.

3. Turn mixer off and gently remove the dough from the paddle attachment, leaving the dough in bowl. Remove the paddle attachment and insert the dough hook.

4. 

   When the dough is smooth and springy, it is ready to shape or rise.

   Turn mixer on at low speed. Adding ½ cup of the reserved flour at a time, continue to mix for 2 to 6 minutes. Follow your recipe for exact times, but essentially you want the dough to reach the point where it is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

   Never run the dough hook for longer than 6 minutes or on a high speed setting. This can damage the machine and overwork the dough.

5. 

   You can allow the dough hook to fully knead the dough or turn out the dough onto floured surface and knead partly by hand.

   Turn mixer off and remove dough. If your recipe calls for additional shaping of the dough -- such as when making rolls or pizza crust -- turn the dough onto a surface lightly dusted with flour. Shape dough, and then allow to rise per your recipe.

   If the dough requires a rise before baking or shaping, place the ball of dough into an oiled bowl. Allow to rise, and then shape if needed. The dough is now ready for your oven.

Tips & Warnings

• Most recipes that call for kneading by hand can be adapted to use in a stand mixer. By using a dough hook, you will cut back on the kneading time -- usually 2 to 4 minutes on low speed is sufficient to produce a great bread dough.

References

• KitchenAid: Stand Mixer Manual

Resources

• Fine Cooking: Baguette Recipe Using Dough Hook
• Epicurious: Rosemary Flat Bread Recipe Using Dough Hook