How to make bread with a KitchenAid mixer?

Step 1: Mixing and kneading

Your ingredients list might vary depending on the recipe, but every bread needs water, yeast, flour, and salt. Your first job is to mix them together and knead. While doing it by hand has its charm, it also takes a fair amount of time and work. So why not let your tilt-head or bowl-lift stand mixer do it for you? It’s equipped with the right tools:  

• Flat Beater - Use the Flat Beater to mix the wet and dry ingredients together. It blends them evenly, turning them into a shaggy dough. When you notice a ball of dough forming around the Flat Beater, stop mixing.

  
  

• Dough Hook - To knead your dough, attach the Dough Hook to your Stand Mixer and turn it to speed 2. It makes sure the kneading is done thoroughly, yet evenly. How do you know when to stop kneading? On average, it takes between 2 and 4 minutes of kneading time, but follow the recipe instructions to be sure. You don’t want to end up with an over-kneaded dough and – as a result – a dense and tough bread. A final tip: keep an eye on your dough. When it easily pulls away from the sides and starts travelling up the dough hook, it’s time to stop and move on to the next step.

  

Step 2: Rising, shaping and proofing

Now that the mixing and kneading is done, it’s on to phase two: rising, shaping, and proofing your bread. The Bread Bowl is especially useful here. 

Let your bread rise

First, find a good spot for it to rise. Somewhere warm and draught-free, near an oven or radiator for example. Aim for a temperature of between 23 and 27 degrees Celsius, then, just leave the leavening agent to work its magic. Your dough will now grow up to twice its original size. Spotted some bubbles as well? They’ll turn into pillowy air pockets when the bread is baked. 

Using the Bread Bowl:

• Rinse the bowl with hot water first. It’s ceramic, so it will heat up lightly, making it the perfect environment – slightly warm, but not hot – for the yeast in your bread to kick in. 

• Then cover it with the lid. It keeps the temperature and humidity inside stable, bringing you one step closer to a well-risen loaf.

Using a regular bowl:

• Cover the bowl with a clean, dry tea towel instead. 

Shape your bread 

Briefly knead your dough one more time, and mould it into any shape you like. A classic boule shape, a twist or plait, perhaps? Shaping isn’t just about appearance though. You’re making sure the outer “skin” of the dough is tight enough too. This way, your dough won’t break or collapse, and your crust gets nice and crunchy when it’s in the oven.

Let your bread proof

Proofing simply means letting it rise for a second time. Why? Because part of the air got kneaded out while you were shaping it. It’s a second chance for your dough to grow and form even bigger air bubbles. 

Using the Bread Bowl:

• Sprinkle your bread with flour, and place it on the lid. Make sure you line it with baking paper first though – you don’t want it sticking to the surface.  

• Then cover it with the Bread Bowl until it’s time to score and bake it.

Using a regular bowl:

• Place your dough on a floured surface, sprinkle it with flour, and cover it with a clean, dry tea towel. 

• Afterwards, score it and transfer it to your bakeware. 

Step 3: Baking

Your dough has risen enough. Your oven is at the right temperature. You’re all set for the final step: baking your bread. 

Using the Bread Bowl:

• Your bread is on the lid and covered with the bowl. Pop it straight into a preheated oven from there. The Bread Bowl traps the steam and distributes it evenly, making sure your bread gets baked thoroughly.

• With 10 minutes remaining on the kitchen timer, take off the lid. This way, the crust can get that perfect golden-brown colour. 

• When it’s cooled down, you can pop the Bread Bowl in the dishwasher or wash with hot soapy water. 

Using a Dutch oven or similar to that:

• Transfer the scored bread to a preheated Dutch oven lined with baking paper, and cover it with the lid.

• With 10 minutes remaining on the kitchen timer, take off the lid. This way, the crust can get that perfect golden-brown colour. 

3 tips to improve your bread-baking skills

Now that you understand the basics, you’re ready to bake bread. Here are a few tips to get you off to an even greater start.

1. Get the right tools

• Scales: Baking is an art, but it’s also an exact science. Dig out your scales and measure your ingredients precisely. It can make or break your bread. 

• A bread scorer or lame: scoring means carving the outer ‘skin’ of the dough before baking it. For some breads, it helps them to rise properly and form a beautiful crust in the oven. For most bakers, it’s a fun way to get creative with patterns. Go ahead, your bread is your canvas.

• A dough scraper: most doughs are sticky. They love to cling to your mixing bowl or stick to your worktop. A dough scraper doesn’t just make the clean-up easier, it keeps your kitchen and bakeware in perfect condition too. 

2. Respect the recipe

From sourdough to focaccia and brioche, although every recipe comes with its own ingredients list, the four basics will always be on there. Here’s why: 

• Lukewarm water: Most bread recipes call for lukewarm water. And rightfully so, it helps the yeast to do its job. How warm is lukewarm? Between 36 and 40 degrees Celsius. Tap water will do just fine, by the way. Just be aware that the particular composition of the water in your area might affect the flavour and texture of your bread.  

• Yeast: Whether it’s instant dry yeast, fresh yeast, sourdough starter or baking powder, bread needs a leavening agent. It won’t rise without it. Always use the one specified in the recipe. 

• Salt: If you’ve ever tasted a bread without salt, you’ll know it’s a much-needed flavour-booster. So unless your diet says otherwise, never skip the salt. Just make sure it doesn’t come into direct contact with the yeast in your mixing bowl. The salt could ‘kill’ the yeast, leaving you with a bread that doesn’t rise. 

• Flours: Some breads turn out light and fluffy, others are dark and dense. The reason for this? The type of flour. For gluten-free options, use sorghum, buckwheat or oat flour. There’s a whole world of flours out there, and each kind results in a distinct type of bread.

3. Go easy on yourself

Baking bread is called an art for a reason. Don’t be disheartened if you pull a flat, dry or bland-tasting bread out of the oven. Perfecting your bread-baking skills takes time and practice. Just dust the flour off your apron and try again. These 12 easy bread recipes are a great place to start.