I just bought a new spiral mixer to replace my dying J-hook mixer.
The J-hook mixer had 3 speeds, and we used it with the lowest one.
The new mixer only has one speed and it seems faster in comparison.
We usually mix for 6 minutes, stop for 6 and give it another 5 or 6 minutes of mixing. We tried this same times with the new mixer and the result was a dough that was more spongy.
We didn’t take into account the added friction of the new mixer, so that sponginess might be the result of an early fermentation due to the temperature of the dough. Or, and this is what I’m afraid of, the sponginess is a result of the way the mixer works (it is faster and its corkscrew-like hook kind of “rips” the dough together instead of the slow folding-like action of the J-hook mixer).
I will compensate by using colder water, hopefully this helps.
In any case, are there any disavantages of mixing faster or using a spiral mixer?
Sadly, the spiral mixer was the only option available to purchase, so I hope it was a good buy.
I recently switched from a planetary mixer to a spiral mixer also. I used to mix in the planetary mixer on slow speed for 12-14 minutes. With my spiral mixer I mix for less than 10 minutes on low speed or the dough gets overmixed. After a week or so of playing with mixing time and speed we were able to get a finished product that was nearly identical to the finished dough from our planetary.
Keep in mind that you spiral mixer will mix doughs sized all the way down to 25% of the stated bowl capacity, however, as the dough size is decreased, the mixing time is increased slightly. Doughs that are sized between 70 and 100% of bowl capacity will all mix out within the same time (no difference). Mixing times with the spiral will be very comparable to that of a good Hobart, planetary mixer using a reverse spiral dough arm. Typically, the mixing time should be in the 8 to 10-minute range for doughs sized in the 70 to 100% of bowl capacity range. As for mixing speed, put the water into the mixer first (65 to 70F), then add the flour, and on top of the flour add the salt, sugar (if used), and any other dry material such as IDY, mix at low speed for about 2-minutes, or until you don’t see any dry (white) flour, then pour in the oil and mix for another minute at low speed, the change to second speed and mix until the dough takes on a smooth, satiny, appearance (typically 8 to 10-minutes). The finished dough temperature should be in the 80 to 85F range.
The only down side to the spiral mixer is that it can’t mix sauce and it doesn’t have an attachment hub, keep your old Hobart for those chores.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
you say to first set the mixer at the low speed. Is this just to avoid a mess? I hope that is the reason because or mixer only has one speed and is not the slow one.