Smallest dough batch out of your 80qt mixer?

[RichPugh]

So we’re about 1 week from opening and instead of doing full 25kg bags of flour test batched (I have my small 1-2lb test batched down but bigger bulk batches are what we want to start working with. I do not have a small 5-6qt countertop mixer and hand batches get a bit hard to handle over 3lbs) I figured I’d just do some smaller batched in my 80qt Hobart. Whats the smallest batch (by flour weight) you guys are doing? This also helps for future special crusts like 100% whole wheat and possibly gluten free doughs where we will surely not be doing 55lb bags of flours. Thanks!

 

[smeagol8]

The smallest batch I ever mixed was twelve and a half pounds of flour. (Cut it a little close that week)

 

[RichPugh]

That is exactly what I was hoping. I have about 50lbs of flour laying around before we get our stocking order. I’d love to test 4 different batches. Did it mix and knead well? I am assuming you are using a reverse spiral hook, not older J/C hook?

 

[smeagol8]

I don’t recall which hook I used - I’ve used both, over the years. But the dough came out totally normal.

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

The smallest dough that I’ve ever made in a Hobart 80-quart mixer was based on 10-pounds of flour weight. You have got to use a reverse spiral dough hook, or the dough will just cling to the hook and not mix at all. Do keep in mind though, that your mixing time and speed will NOT be the same as when mixing larger size doughs. Using the same mixing speeds, your mixing time will be longer with the small size dough. Be sure to put the water in the bowl first to allow for better flour hydration and dough clean-up in the bowl. This is also true when mixing larger size doughs, but it is a lot more important/critical with the smaller size doughs.
One last thing, remember, the friction build-up during mixing won’t be a great while mixing a smaller dough as it is with a large size dough, so you may need to use slightly warmer water to ensure your dough comes off of the mixer within the target temperature range (usually 80 to 85F).
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

 

[RichPugh]

Tom Lehmann:

The smallest dough that I’ve ever made in a Hobart 80-quart mixer was based on 10-pounds of flour weight.

Been doing 12… seems to be ok
Tom Lehmann:

You have got to use a reverse spiral dough hook, or the dough will just cling to the hook and not mix at all.

CHECK
Tom Lehmann:

Do keep in mind though, that your mixing time and speed will NOT be the same as when mixing larger size doughs. Using the same mixing speeds, your mixing time will be longer with the small size dough. Be sure to put the water in the bowl first to allow for better flour hydration and dough clean-up in the bowl. This is also true when mixing larger size doughs, but it is a lot more important/critical with the smaller size doughs.

Water/liquid first, with ADY, then salt/flour mix. Did 75% flour with 100% of the total liquid on 2 min on speed 1, let rest 2 minutes, added remainder of flour (plus some oil in this batch), did a total of 8 min on speed 2 (probably should have gone a bit more but it seemed to work ok). Seemed to work well. Do you see a point in the short autolyse? It’s just out of habit from my home dough procedures.
Tom Lehmann:

One last thing, remember, the friction build-up during mixing won’t be a great while mixing a smaller dough as it is with a large size dough, so you may need to use slightly warmer water to ensure your dough comes off of the mixer within the target temperature range (usually 80 to 85F).

My dough temp is coming out a bit high… total hydration was about 62% total, with 2/3 being 105f water and the remaining being my secret special liquids (LOL) and cold. I am ditching the habit of using the 2/3’s all being warm as the dough ball is coming out of the bowl at like 90-92f. the room we are mixing in is reaaaaaly hot right now and very humid also… gonna try to keep the water portion mostly cold… just using warm enough to hydrate the ADY. Whats your take on that?

EEEHHHTTT!!! (Thats my buzzer sound)… Scratch that last question… I have read your take on that about 30 times now. 4-5 times the ADY weight of 105F water for the yeast, remainder cold around 60F or so… GOT IT. We had totally been using 2/3 of the water at 105F. Thats probably a big contributor to the dough temp being so high along with our room temp. Tomorrow is a new day. Mostly cold water hydration, aiming for 80-85F dough temp, scale and ball quickly, tray, oil and get into refrigeration cross stacked ASAP for about an hour. Whats the target temp of the dough balls before straight-stacking the trays? like 55F dough temp or no more than 90 min at about 38F iirc?