I switched from hand kneading to a mixer and actually regret it after 6 months

Everyone told me a stand mixer would save my shoulders and speed things up. But my sourdough loaves have been flat and dense since I made the swap. Kneading by hand let me feel the dough's texture and know exactly when it was ready. Has anyone else gone back to hand mixing after trying a machine?

2 comments

2 Comments

cole_robinson1mo ago

Is it really that serious though? I mean a flat loaf once in a while happens even with hand kneading, right? Maybe your machine technique just needed some dialing in, not a full blown switch back. In my experience people overthink this stuff and blame the tool instead of a simple tweak like temp or gluten development. But hey, your mileage may vary, I've definitely had those "this thing is ruined" moments that turned out fine the next week.

the_ben1mo ago

You said "a flat loaf once in a while happens even with hand kneading," but a machine really limits your feel for the dough in a way hand kneading doesn't. That's less about blaming the tool and more about knowing when it's actually working against you.