Newbie with questions on my Kitchen Aid mixer

[Wazatron]

Hi all - this is my first post, and I am SO excited to have found this post!  I really want to learn and be able to make some amazing pizzas.  I'll get straight to the point, however.

I have a pretty new Kitchen Aid 5qt Artisan mixer.  I've only been able to use it, oh, maybe 6-8 times so far.  My question is really about the dough hook.  Whenever I've tried making dough it doesn't seem to really need knead the dough.  By the time the dough really comes together, it just kind of rolls it up in a log or torpedo kind of shape and then it spins around the bowl - the hook doesnt' really continue to break into it and work the dough.

Is this a problem with my dough recipe?  Or maybe a problem with my hook - or heaven forbid my mixer? It seems to have happend every time so far, regardless of pizza dough/biscuit dough/etc.  I've never gotten to the point where the dough "climbs" the hook, so you know it's done or whatever.

Thanks everyone!  I'm excited to be a part of the site!!!
~Waz

[Bill/SFNM]

I own the same model. It is great for mixing batters, whisking eggs, grinding meat with the attachment, etc. However, I was not pleased with its performance for most kinds of breads and pizza doughs I make, just as you describe. 

Bill/SFNM

[Wallman]

I have an older Kitchenaide model and it doesn't really make a dough ball, but I simply take the dough out when it looks done (or is at the right temperature) and hand kneed it into a ball shape.  This seems to work fine.

[007bond-jb]

I have the same mixer and noticed the same problem what I do is start with the paddle on 1 or 2 till it starts to bind the motor about 30 seconds then switch to the hook on #2 when dough starts climbing the hook rev it up to 6 or higher to sling the dough off the hook then lower your speed & repete as needed. My mixer is about 3 years old it probably won't last another year or so. Pizza dough is tough on a mixer & I only use mine once a week for pizza. Reving up the mixer also helps cool the motor 

[chiguy]

 Hi Wazatron,
 I have a 6 qt KA and experience the same porblem of the dough climbing the hook. It is the most difficult with the high hydration doughs i feel. It can be a stop and go process sometimes, but i manage to get by. i will probably look for a different mixer sometime in the distant future.    Chiguy

[JerryMac]

Hey Guys,

If the dough "climbs the hook with a KA, the dough is too wet.

Jerry

[rondo]

You might try putting a light coating of vegetable spray on the top portion of the hook, which usually keeps the dough from climbing up onto that portion of the dough hook.
Also, I just received a new Kitchen Aid Pro 600, which has a new spiral dough hook which I am eager to try. It is supposed to be able to knead 25 % more dough and looks as though it might alleviate the climbing dough problem.

[Randy]

Jerry the wetter the dough, the less climbing it will do on the dough hook.  Bump it up to the next speed for a few seconds will sling it down some.

Randy

[chiguy]

 Hey Rondo,
 That is a nice tip on the oil at the top of the hook. I have the same mixer as you, however i do not have the new style hook. Please report back when you use the new hook.            Chiguy

[Bill/SFNM]

If the dough "climbs the hook with a KA, the dough is too wet.

Except some of us prefer wet doughs for our favorite style of pizza.

Bill/SFNM

[Fio]

I have the same problem.  Consider the following (which are my observations and which may not be shared by others):

1) A good strategy is to let the dough rest in the bowl for 20 minutes or so after you have more or less mixed the flour and water.  This is called "autolyzing."  Add the water to the bowl, add MOST of the flour, mix for a few minutes until the mixture is more or less uniform, then stop.  Pull the dough off the hook and let it rest in the bowl for 20 minutes.  Then, resume mixing, add your yeast, salt, and oil.  The advantage is that the rest incorporates the water into the flour and makes the dough more pliable - the machine works more effectively.

2) While mixing, have a rubber spatula in hand.  Stop the mixer every few minutes, and push the dough ball down on the hook, and resume mixing.

3) You really don't knead (pun intended) to knead the dough for very long in the mixer.  I just do mine until the oil, salt, and yeast have been incorporated.  Then I remove the dough from the bowl, knead by hand for a couple minutes, and form balls for individual pies.   The hand kneading evens out any remaining hard/dense spots and allows me to check for evenness of consistency. 

[Casinochild]

I have the 6 quart mixer and have had success with the Wolfgang recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26713,00.html

I will pull the dough off the hook one or two times.  Run the kitchenaid for 5 min.  You'll see when the dough pulls away from the sides.  Add a tsp. of water at a time if it won't come off the sides.  It won't be in a ball.  Knead the dough for 2-3 min. and let rise.  Works great for me.  Better and easier than the last 20 recipes I've tried.  Oh, and I have a great tip from Cook's Illustrated...Microwave 1/2 cup of water in a mug for 1 min.  Put the mug in the corner of the microwave and it will keep the temp. 80-90 degrees for 90 min.  You can proof your yeast in there and then proof your dough right in the microwave. 

[tonymark]

1) A good strategy is to let the dough rest in the bowl for 20 minutes or so after you have more or less mixed the flour and water.  This is called "autolyzing."  Add the water to the bowl, add MOST of the flour, mix for a few minutes until the mixture is more or less uniform, then stop.  Pull the dough off the hook and let it rest in the bowl for 20 minutes.  Then, resume mixing, add your yeast, salt, and oil.  The advantage is that the rest incorporates the water into the flour and makes the dough more pliable - the machine works more effectively.

I agree, but use a different procedure.  I put all of the water, IDY and 2/3 of flour in mixer with paddle.  Mix for 1 minute and then rest for 25 minutes.  Add salt.  Now the key,  I keep the paddle on and mix for about 8 minutes.  This is really where all the work seems to be done without straining the mixer.  Now change to the hook and continue to add rest of flour.  Yea, I still dough still climbs the hook, but most of the work was done earlier.  Stop.  Let dough rest a few minutes and mix about 5 more minutes.

Oh yea, I have the kitchenaide with the bowl lift (the mixer head does not tilt back).  When the dough climbs, I just lower the bowl with mixer on high and it comes right off.

TM

[Slow Eddie]

I have the same mixer and have abandoned all use of the hook. I use the paddle only now a days. It may be harder on the mixer but it sure is easier on my blood pressure. I use 10 oz of flour at a time with 6.4 oz water, mix until all of the flour is picked up, then I add .2 oz oil. This will usually keep the dough from climbing or getting stuck around the bottom of the paddle.

Eddie