Bosch Compact mixer owners... questions-which attachments, speed, workflow, etc.

[lennyk]

well I think most would assume that this is unacceptable to some extent.

[bfguilford]

well I think most would assume that this is unacceptable to some extent.

While it doesn't make me happy, I can live with it.

[RobynB]

While it doesn't make me happy, I can live with it.

+1

[nicklear]

I am about to receive a Bosch compact. Am interested in the theory behind the use of lower speeds (some using just 1, others 1 for a few mins then 2) in kneading. I imagine the dough hook going through its motions, and travelling the same path no matter what speed, but just doing more revolutions per minute as you increase the speed.

So wouldn't you just get the kneading done quicker at a higher speed? And if it's question of dough temperature, couldn't you adjust for this with your water temp?

Have done all my kneading by hand for the last few years, and although I do enjoy it, I'm looking forwards to sometimes sitting back and hearing the whirr of the Bosch doing it for me 

[mkevenson]

I am about to receive a Bosch compact. Am interested in the theory behind the use of lower speeds (some using just 1, others 1 for a few mins then 2) in kneading. I imagine the dough hook going through its motions, and travelling the same path no matter what speed, but just doing more revolutions per minute as you increase the speed.

So wouldn't you just get the kneading done quicker at a higher speed? And if it's question of dough temperature, couldn't you adjust for this with your water temp?

Have done all my kneading by hand for the last few years, and although I do enjoy it, I'm looking forwards to sometimes sitting back and hearing the whirr of the Bosch doing it for me  

I recently bought an old 1980s, unused, Bosch compact mixer. It looks a little different than the new ones and the motor is rated at 300W compared to 400W on the new one. Also it did not come with a bowl top.
I generally make one dough ball  approx 400g at a time but have made 2 at one time. When I knead at speed #1 the entire dough mass is wrapped around the dough hook and moving in a circular motion but it does not appear to be incorporating air into the dough. On speed # 2 you can definitely see the dough separating and "folding", "mixing" better. It appears to be folding in air. I have been kneeding after the initial mix for approx 5 min followed by a bit of hand kneading.
Does this sound reasonable ?

[RobynB]

Is it close enough that you could use the current lids on your bowl, or swap the bowl with which it came for a modern one with a lid?  I would be pretty nervous without a lid, the dough in my normal batch routinely hits the lid and heads back down from there.  I bought a second bowl online for about $30, so that I can make two batches in a row easily.  I know they sell replacement lids also. 

For your style pizza, that routine may be fine.  I tried going 5 minutes on speed 1 and felt like it overworked the dough a tiny bit, so I backed back off.  But I do stretch and fold into a ball, let sit an hour, do that again, and RT bulk overnight, and I think you are cold-fermenting?  And your dough is BF?  With oil/sugar?  Or is it lean?

[mkevenson]

Is it close enough that you could use the current lids on your bowl, or swap the bowl with which it came for a modern one with a lid?  I would be pretty nervous without a lid, the dough in my normal batch routinely hits the lid and heads back down from there.  I bought a second bowl online for about $30, so that I can make two batches in a row easily.  I know they sell replacement lids also.  

For your style pizza, that routine may be fine.  I tried going 5 minutes on speed 1 and felt like it overworked the dough a tiny bit, so I backed back off.  But I do stretch and fold into a ball, let sit an hour, do that again, and RT bulk overnight, and I think you are cold-fermenting?  And your dough is BF?  With oil/sugar?  Or is it lean?

Robyn, I think that the bowl is completely different in shape.
here it is from the ebay listing :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150949454703?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_408wt_986

I have never had the dough even approach the top of the bowl. In fact on initial mix of ingredients it is very calm, even with water put in the bowl 1st.

I am not sure that I have a "style" yet, Generally flour, water, ADY, salt, sugar, and sometimes oil. Back and forth on the oil.
I am shooting for a thin , airy,crust, kinda crisp on the outside, not tough, not doughy but a little chew. I guess perhaps a Calif style without the weird toppings.

I am currently using KABF/KAAP 50/50. I may try KABF/00 but my only local source of Caputo dried up. Whole foods here has an Italian bulk 00 "pizza "flour but I am not sure of the source or the protein content.
My new oven gets 700+ and I am eager to push the temps but have to figure out how to stop the bottom from burning. Perhaps delete the sugar? Working on that with the oven maker.
Usually do a 48 hr cold ferment, I did do an 8 hr room temp last Sat but it is more convenient to do the cold.

Mark

[RobynB]

By "style" I meant not-Neapolitan.  Flour other than 00, oil/sugar, cold ferment, etc - those are all different from what I do, which make the dough need different handling. 

I am curious that your mixer is so placid.  In mine, even on speed 1 using just the dough hook, the dough mixes and begins to knead quickly.  I'm doing bigger batches but still, it sounds like yours works on a different RPM or something, so I'm not sure how much help I can be. 

I think that bowl, and the machine itself, looks pretty much the same as the current ones in shape.  If you decide to try a lid, they're pretty cheap.  Here's one for only $3.99 plus shipping, no idea what shipping would be, or one for $16.99 including shipping:

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/replacement_parts_compact.aspx

http://www.everythingkitchens.com/bosch-parts-compact-mider-bowl-lid.html?gclid=CILUuruJlrQCFQmCQgodKGgADA

I definitely need a lid, but maybe you don't...

[mkevenson]

Thanks, Robyn. I guess that there is Neapolitan, and all others. I will count the RPMs just for fun.

Mark

[bfguilford]

Mark:

If you mix a single 400g dough ball at a time, I wouldn't worry about a lid. I usually do two 420g dough balls, and never use the lid. On the other hand, I do use a spatula to keep pushing the dough down the hook and scrape the sides of the bowl, so the lid would just get in my way. I find that if I don't do that, it just doesn't knead as well.

Barry.

[nicklear]

Re the speed - having now received the compact, I noticed the machine has a graphic on it indicating to only use speeds 1 & 2 for the dough hook (as opposed to using all speeds for the other two attachments). I am guessing it is to save the motor from over work because even at speed 2 you can hear the motor is doing quite a bit of work.

I even tried a batch of 1kg flour and it had no problem with fitting in the bowl, but it wasn't as well developed as a 700g & 500g batch I did. One thing I've noticed is that if I use a higher hydration like 65% it doesn't come away from the edge of the bowl at all really (even after 15mins in an experiment). Though I finished it off by hand and it was pretty good.

My machine is also somewhat out of date - it's discontinued in the UK, so mine was shipped from Germany. I noticed though that Bosch have a similar model (500W I think) in the UK that is in production. I wanted this one as it's only 4kg and my parents were bringing it out to Africa. Now I am interested if I can get a compatible blender attachment.

[mkevenson]

Thanks, Robyn. I guess that there is Neapolitan, and all others. I will count the RPMs just for fun.

Mark

My best RPM count ( this is hard with the swivel movement) is 60 RPM on speed #1, No info on the paperwork but I wrote to Bosch, perhaps they know each speed RPM?

Mark