I run the machine on as high a speed as it will handle. If I go up a notch and it's not running any faster/harder, I move down a notch to keep the engine from burning up. I let it run for about 3 - 5 minutes, or until the dough looks smooth.

Lori

I have a recipe I used for years to make yeast bread that is really more of a batter and uses the mixer to do the work.

Batter Bread
1 package yeast
1 cup water (105-115 degrees F)
2 Tablespoons honey
1 egg (If you don't want egg add 1/4 cup more water)
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

1. In large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in honey. (If using Fast-rising Yeast skip this step and add yeast to flour and add all to step #2.)

2. Add butter, salt and only 2 cups of flour to yeast mixture. Beat on low speed with mixer until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 minute. Scrape bowl; beat 1 minute more.

3. Stir in remaining flour with wooden spoon. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

4. Grease 8-1/2x4-1/2 inch bread pan. Punch down batter by stirring for 30 strokes with the wooden spoon. Spoon/scrap batter into prepared bread pan.

5. Let rise, covered in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes or until batter rises to edge of pan (but not over! This won't take as long if you use fast-acting yeast.) Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately remove from pan. (to determine doneness, tap bottom of loaf with finger tips. It should sound hollow. If not, return to pan and bake for 5 more minutes.) Cool on wire rack.

Makes one loaf

I start out with a slow speed (2 or 3) and keep the splash guard on until all the flour has been added. Then for kneading, I use speed 8 and stop when the dough climbs up the dough hook so that I can scrape it down. I do the last bit of kneading by hand, but it is not really necessary. I like to keep the dough a bit wet and sticky and then oil my hands before touching the dough, once it has been kneaded sufficiently.

Have you thought of using a bread machine for mixing and kneading the dough? I'm thinking about getting one, just for the convenience, although I don't consider it that much trouble to use the KA.

Lars

Looks like we are all over the map! I use speed 2 for mixing with the paddle, then speed 4 to knead about 5 minutes when almost all the flour is in and the dough hook is on. I thing my KA would fling itself on the floor if I kneaded at (mach) speed 8! LOL!

Teresa

Thanks so much for all your posts, I really appreciate it. Lars, I have thought about a bread machine but feel like it's completely selling out when I'm not kneading already! The people I know who own and use them do like them though.

I have a KitchenAid, Hobart era. But I use my bread machine for kneading primarily to keep the miles off my KA. On any given weekend, I can buy from one to five slightly used bread machines at rummage sales for from $4-$10. I hardly ever see a KA at rummage & almost never see a Hobart KA. Another good reason to use the bread machine is that I can toss all the ingredients in it & wander off to do other stuff plus not worrying about the mixer walking itself off the counter. (I'm prone to wandering off, like to the garden or laundry room downstairs, & completely forgetting what I had going on in the kitchen!) And, the cleanup w/ the bread machine is just about non-existent. Dough pulls away cleanly from the bucket & any little tidbits left behind will dry & flake off between uses. Downside, of course, is having to store the beast! But if you have room to squeeze one in, I think you'll really enjoy the convenience of have a Bread Machine.

The other thing I would suggest is to investigate some of the wonderful recipes for no-knead, almost no-knead breads. I'm including a link to one of my favorite almost no-knead recipes. There's a video on the site that you'll need to watch to get the full instructions on the how to make it--very easy! And the flavor is wonderful. (I drastically cut the am't of salt, from 1 1/2 t. to less than 1/2 t. & the bread still turns out great.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Breadtopia

OK, I use the same machine Annie just got gifted and it's a true workhorse but yesterday I taught a bread making class and although I made the dough for class in my DLX, I showed them how to make it in a KA.

You guys do know that the manual says not to knead at speeds higher than 2, right? Or you can burn the motor out and they won't cover it. BWAAAAHAAAHAAA.

Anyways, true gluten development takes time as well as kneading and I think you get a better texture with the KA if you knead at 2 for about 12 minutes. You can tell when the dough is ready, it changes consistency as it kneads, getting a nice smooth, elastic texture. If you do the windowpane test you can tell whether you need to knead a few more minutes.

The windowpane test: Take a small hazelnut sized piece of dough and stretch it out. If it stretches thin enough to see through without tearing, it's ready.

And yes, if you're making single loaves, the bread machine is not a bad way to go.