Any Bread Bakers out here?

[optilady1]

I've been baking bread for me and the fam since I got married in 2003. I started with a bread machine, but decided I wanted (in the words of the greatest cook of all time Alton Brown) a more multi-purpose machine, so I was gifted a Kitchen Aid professional 600 by my hubby a few years ago. It works fine, although is super loud, but I'm thinking I want to upgrade to something a little more heavy duty, in hopes that it'll be around for the rest of my life.

There is currently nothing wrong with my kitchen aid, but a lot of people on online forums complain of them breaking. I mean a lot. Kitchen Aid just came out with an NSF certified mixer with a 1.3 horse power engine, and I was contemplating getting that one, but I figured I would widen my scope of intrest to a few other higher end, maybe lesser known brands.

So, I've stumbled upon the Bosch universal mixer, with 800 watts, and the Electrolux magic mill DLX. Cost really isn't an issue, because I'll save for the next year or two if I need to. I'm even considering the Hobart conter top mixer, but I'm thinking that might be overkill in the highest degree.

I'm hoping that someone out here in eyeglass land is an avid baker and maybe has one of these models, or knows someone who does. I'm not totally against kitchen aid, but ever since Wirlpool bought them a few years back, survey says the quality has gone down the toilet (get it? wirlpool-go down the toilet? oh never mind)

What say you people? I'll bake you all some bread in trade for some info.

[Fezz]

I bake liquid bread!



Ps. I do not have experience with the Bosch machine that you are looking at, but every Bosch product that I have owned has been EXCELLENT! Good luck and happy baking!

[Jacqui]

I used to love baking bread the old fashioned way, but I had to give up bread when I was diagnosed with celiac.

[opticianbart]

I used to love baking bread the old fashioned way, but I had to give up bread when I was diagnosed with celiac.

naaaa, you don't have to give up bread! just wheat bread (and rye, and...the other one) I can hook you up with some recipes for such things. perhaps a recipe swap is in order? :)

[optilady1]

I used to love baking bread the old fashioned way, but I had to give up bread when I was diagnosed with celiac.

There are a couple really great blog style websites that have some awesome gluten free everything recipes. Glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com is my favorite. I'm not celiac, but wheat makes my kerititis pilaris worse, so during warm clothing season I give it up. Also kingarthurflour.com has a gluten free 'all purpose flour' substitute that you can either buy or make yourself. I've done it and used it to make a gluten free sandwich bread and it came out very nice. I know it's very frustrating to deal with, but there are a lot of resourses out there these days that are easy to do and have really nice results. Also, I've heard nothing but great reviews on the book 'Gluten free on a shoestring'.

[optical24/7]

If it's not corn bread I can't make it. But I am an expert at eating all types of bread!

[Robert Martellaro]

Try this for useful discussion.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/ind...oard,48.0.html

Try a used Hobart.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hobart-Commercial-20-Quart-Mixer-/260916783935?
pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbfda2b3f

I have the Pro 600 also. It's plenty for my weekend Sicilian pies, but if I was cooking for a bigger crowd I'd have to have a Hobart.

[DragonLensmanWV]

I do most of the baking in our family and we have one of these:
http://www.sunbeam.com/ProductDetail...itchen&pid=614

It works pretty well, but it sure makes a lot of noise when you got a big ball of bread dough or a double batch of my Super-delicious special recipe chocolate chip cookies in there.

[optilady1]

Try this for useful discussion.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/ind...oard,48.0.html

Try a used Hobart.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hobart-Commercial-20-Quart-Mixer-/260916783935?
pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbfda2b3f

I have the Pro 600 also. It's plenty for my weekend Sicilian pies, but if I was cooking for a bigger crowd I'd have to have a Hobart.

Hmmmm....very interesting. My husband works with a dude who does auction buying on the side, I never even thought about that. My hub said that they do have a hobart on the subs and his last one they made 40 loaves of bread a day. For six months. Insane. I have a very small kitchen; I had to laugh when my husband suggested getting a huge hobart that my 5 year old daughter could fit in.

I just want something that is better than most people have. I know that sounds stupid, but, I really like to make things from scratch. I don't have the time to do it every day, but if I'm going to take the time to make a pie, I'd rather make it from scratch. I brings me so much pleasure. I guess I can see why most Food network chefs are arrogant butt heads.

The search continues...It never occured to me to check on youtube for demonstrations, and there aren't quite so many of the more obscure brands, but they're there, at least I can see how they work.

to be continued....

[Uncle Fester]

I'd wait until the current one does break but that's the Yankee (in the Dutch sense of the word!) in me talking!

[optilady1]

Well, I've always been of the opinion that the best time to buy one is when you don't need one, not that anyone in this day and age needs a stand mixer. However, I am thinking I'm going to sell in and the meat grinder attachment, so, it'll go towards the cost of a new toy/machine.

I figure I don't spend hundreds of dollars on make-up any more. Kitchen stuff is my hobby. Specially when you can get books from the library for free.

[Lulubelle]

You could also try some of the restaurant supply places. You may be able to get a good price on a commercial unit.

[Chris Ryser]

Making bread is one of my hobbies. I love my rye bread with the seeds. First was a bread machine and now a Kitchen Aid mixer for the last few years. Mixes the dough in 3 to 5 minutes to perfection. Then let rise for an hour, knead again and in the over at 325F for 50 minutes. 4 cups of flour and 1 half a cup of rye flour give me exactly 2 x little over 1/2 lbs loafs with a nice crust. Cost about 35 cents, 10 minutes of work, while the Super Market charges about $ 4.00 per loaf. (I buy the ingredients at Costco and the BulkBarn very inexpensive)

Started to make Christmas cookies from original Swiss recipies. So far made a bag Milan and Cinnamon cookies, (wife ate them all in 2 days). Its more work than bread, but also disapears faster.

Here are some fantastic receipies: http://www.about.ch/culture/food/index.html#CH_FoodToC ,
look for the cookies in brackets)

(By the way: KitchenAid mixers can be purchased as specials in Kitchen stores brand new for about $ 155.00 instead of $ 300.00 when you look for factory repaired ones under warranty. Bread machines take too long and are for sale at Salvation Army store for $ 5.00 to $ 10.00.)

[Robert Martellaro]

The best basic bread I've tasted that wasn't baked in a steam injected commercial oven. Note the dutch oven, high hydration dough, and the 18 hour room temperature ferment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU

Details...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

[optilady1]

Robert, I went to that pizza makers forum. Those are some hard core pizza lovers! I'm gonna try the basic new york dough, see how it comes out, when I get my new stone.

[Robert Martellaro]

Robert, I went to that pizza makers forum. Those are some hard core pizza lovers! I'm gonna try the basic new york dough, see how it comes out, when I get my new stone.

A bunch of fanatic artisans they are. Extremely knowledgeable folks though, both in the science and art of bread and pizza making.

I haven't been able to make a great thin crust pizza in my home oven, but I've made some pretty good Sicilian and Focaccias. Regardless of the style, make sure you cold ferment, i.e. put the dough in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

Possiamo mangiare?!

[cturtle77]

You could also try some of the restaurant supply places. You may be able to get a good price on a commercial unit.

I worked for several years at a bagel shop and we had a commercial grade counter top Kitchen Aid. I cannot tell you how we abused this mixer. Since then I will have nothing but Kitchen Aid in my kitchen but I would LOVE to get my hands on a commercial grade like that one. They can take a beating.

[optilady1]

I worked for several years at a bagel shop and we had a commercial grade counter top Kitchen Aid. I cannot tell you how we abused this mixer. Since then I will have nothing but Kitchen Aid in my kitchen but I would LOVE to get my hands on a commercial grade like that one. They can take a beating.

My understanding is that the old kitchen aids were wonderful, because they were made by Hobart, which makes commercial quality ones for restuarants and the such. Now, if you go on message boards, people have a lot of problems with them because of changes made to the motors. It's been very interesting researching all this info. I dare say it's more fun than the actual purchasing.
Right now I'm 99% set on the Bosch. I wish there were a test kitchen near me, I might look into that so I can try them out.

[RIMLESS]

Cturtle77 Maybe if you've been a good girl Santa might be nice to you! LOL

[cturtle77]

Cturtle77 Maybe if you've been a good girl Santa might be nice to you! LOL

I don't know if I am up to the task ;)

[pseudonym]

People get breadmakers for Christmas, use them once or not at all, then reclaim their counter space by donating them. That's why every thrift shop I've ever been in has breadmakers. I bought a never used still in the box Welbilt 23 years ago for 5 bucks. I use it twice a week to mix pizza dough only (never used the heating element) and it still runs as well as the day I bought it. You can try a lot of different brands of bread makers at that price.

[Johns]

Making bread is one of my hobbies. I love my rye bread with the seeds. First was a bread machine and now a Kitchen Aid mixer for the last few years. Mixes the dough in 3 to 5 minutes to perfection. Then let rise for an hour, knead again and in the over at 325F for 50 minutes. 4 cups of flour and 1 half a cup of rye flour give me exactly 2 x little over 1/2 lbs loafs with a nice crust. Cost about 35 cents, 10 minutes of work, while the Super Market charges about $ 4.00 per loaf. (I buy the ingredients at Costco and the BulkBarn very inexpensive)

Chris,

How in the world can you run an over at 325 for 50 minutes, for $.35?

Gas or electric oven...you're still talking a bit more of change.

At any price, you can't beat the taste of homemade bread (or, to quote a sign I saw on the door of a deli in Pittsburgh: "Ho-Made"!)

One of our neighbors in Montana makes a 12 grain bread that she sells in town for $8.50 a loaf. She make 20 loaves each Friday, and drops them off at the restaurant. They sell out by noon every Saturday.

[optilady1]

pseudonym: I had a bread machine, and I used it for pizza and bread for a year. But you can't do a cake, or mashed potatoes,or cheese cake, or whip cream in a bread machine. I will admit that I only do these other things a few times a year, but I prefer a more multi-purpose tool.

I will say this, according to king arthur flour's baking kitchen, a bread machine does seem to provide the best rise out of a kitchen aid mixer or kneading by hand.

I have made my decision about which mixer to get. I'm going with the electrolux assistant mixer. It's not very well known in the US, but is big in Europe. I am saving my money and can't wait to get it. I'm going to over load my family with carbs so bad.