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MarciaH
USA
5 Posts |
 Posted - 07/03/2009 : 1:11:05 PM
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I am new to this forum and have come looking for help with my 5 qt. Artisian. This may be a question that has been addressed in the past but after about an hour of looking, I was not able to find an answer.
I had really been wanting this mixer and finally received it as a gift from my husband this past Christmas. I really expected to LOVE this mixer and I'm really trying to. I enjoy making bread and expected to be able to bake more often with the help of this mixer. I only make a couple of loaves at a time and although the amount of flour is well under the maximum recommended amount, the mixer is having a tough time handling the dough. I mixed a batch this morning and the mixer actually quit. The motor was running but the head was not turning. After I finished kneeding by hand I did finally get it going again. The mixer has always sounded loud to me. Also, every time I have struggled through a batch of bread, I've had a problem with the dough climbing up over the top of the hook. It only kneeds about 10 seconds before I have to turn it off and scrape the dough off the top of the hook. This makes such a mess when it wraps around the spring for the attachments. This has not been the time saver I was expecting. I'm becoming more and more unhappy with the mixer. Any suggestions? |
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KitchenAidQuinn
1065 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2009 : 2:33:23 PM
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What model/size mixer do you have, Marcia? I may have some suggestions for you...
KitchenAid Quinn |
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MarciaH
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2009 : 3:10:23 PM
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| It's the Artisian Series - 5 quart. Looking at the KitchenAid website, I think the model is KSM150PS. |
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gottabake
926 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2009 : 3:25:38 PM
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Hi Marcia,
I'm wondering if you're using the flour power for all purpose flour. If you're using bread flour or other specialty flours, you can't use as much without getting into the bog down mode.
Maybe you could post your recipe and we members can take a look at it.
gottabake |
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mixedupjo
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2009 : 10:10:07 PM
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Marcia, this should NOT be happening with an Artisan! I started making bread for the first time in my life with my Artisan, and he's a champ! Could it be your recipe? Could you post it for us? If you're only doing two loaves at a time you shouldn't be having problems.
The dough climbing up the hook that much sounds to me like you're not putting enough flour in at the beginning. Sounds like you have a really wet sticky dough and it's getting out of hand before you add more flour. I'm NO EXPERT, but I can make some mean bread with my Artisan "Dazz" and I've probably made every mistake God ever thought of while He was laughing at me.
Another thought. I hope you didn't try to knead that dough on any speed higher than 2, and not for very long. From what the boys have been telling me, there's a plastic "sacrificial" gear that will burn out to keep your motor from frying if you overload your mixer. But since your mixer came back on, I'm not sure you made that mistake.
Ask the boys. They always know about the mechanical stuff. But I'm a rookie baker (and Artisan user) so I'm trying to think of the simple stuff. And Mixfinder and SpiceUmUp can troubleshoot your mechanical AND recipe problems in a heartbeat.
You're in the right place. Be patient. Sometimes it takes a minute for our posts to be moderated and show up.
Luvs,
M |
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jreed14830
827 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2009 : 08:29:14 AM
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Marcia
You need to call KitchenAid. When the dough hook stops turning while the motor is still running, the nylon worm gear is probably stripped and the beater will stop turning again the next time you put the mixer under load.
Even though your bread recipe is not at the maximum amount of flour, it is possible place excess load on the mixer with as little a 4-5 cups of flour if the dough is very dry. A mixer can knead much looser dough than most bakers can by hand and it usually results in better bread as well as less strain on the mixer.
Your Artisan will be a very useful tool in baking bread, but there is a bit of a learning curve to identify sounds of straining and making adaptations to the recipe so the mixer survives to mix another day. If you post the ingredient list for your standard bread recipe we will be able to give you some additional insight.
Jim |
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MarciaH
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2009 : 12:42:21 PM
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| Hi KA Quinn. I answered this question not too long after you posted it but my answer doesn't seem to have shown up yet. I have the Artisian Series 5 quart model. Any help will be appreciated. |
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MarciaH
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2009 : 1:14:06 PM
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I'm at work and don't have the exact recipe with me. The one I had so much trouble with last week was a sourdough recipe I've been using for years from Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bakery bread book. It uses about 7 cups of bread flour for two loaves of country white sourdough.
I have used the used the recipe for white bread from the recipe book that came with my mixer several times and have had the same problems. The mixer sounds over worked and sometimes stalls when a large portion of the dough gets between the hook and side of the bowl. The dough has crawled over the top of the hook with every bread recipe I've used.
Maybe I should cut the recipes in half? |
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vernonbishop12
USA
1886 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2009 : 10:57:16 PM
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Marcia: first of all, welcome to the forum!!  Second, the artisan is a lighter duty mixer than the bowl lift models, so you will not be able to do as much with it as you would do with a heavier duty model...  My suggestion would be to try to reduce the size of the recipe, then, if you still have problems, then call KA... KAs customer service is second to none, and they can help you tremendously... 
KSM50HDPBK Heavy Duty Plus, Imperial Black, Burnished Beater, Dough Hook; KFP715 7 cup Food Processor, Onyx Black; KSC700 7 qt slow cooker, Onyx Black...
K. Ross Toole
for the way its made!
from a lifelong true KitchenAid lover  
vernonbishop12 |
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KitchenAidQuinn
1065 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2009 : 7:08:12 PM
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Marcia, many apologies for not responding to you sooner! [bad forum moderator, bad!] I had not been on here during that week since I posted my initial reply to you, because I was working on other things here in KitchenAid-land. SO SORRY! However, I see that the other members have offered you some great advice. I would agree with everything they said (many are more seasoned bakers than I am), and would also say that, based on mine (and Phoebe's) experience with the Artisan, don't be alarmed if it sounds sort of like it's laboring at times. As vernon said, the Artisan is not designed to handle heavy loads every day, but will still do the trick for occasional bread baking. I use mine for bread about once a week (you can even use it a little more frequently than that), and sometimes, especially with wheat bread, or other heavier flours, it can slow down, or "bog down" a bit until the dough gets closer to the end of the knead, but just let it go for a few seconds and it should speed back up again. Each mixer has its own unique sounds, since they are individually made at the factory. If it sounds like it's laboring even with a light load, you should definitely give us a call so we can listen to it over the phone and see how to best help you.
As far as your recipe, as gottabake mentioned, it's important to stick to the flour power. For the Artisan, it can take up to 9 cups of all-purpose white flour, or 6 cups of specialty flour per load. Keep in mind, specialty flour is anything besides all-purpose flour, so that includes bread flour. I would say try the mixer with some cakes or something else light to see if you notice the same problem. If so, give us a call. Otherwise, just try reducing your bread recipe so it follows the flour power, and you should be golden (no pun intended!).
Also, Jo was right in suggesting that the dough could be too sticky, if it's climbing up the hook. Try starting with all but the last cup of flour, and then add the remaining amt. as quickly as possible, in 1/4 cup additions. The sooner all the flour is added, the less likely it'll climb. And sometimes the dough climbing also means it's done kneading. We suggest no more than about 6 minutes, total mixing/kneading time.
I hope that helps! Let us know how it goes, or if you have any other questions!
KitchenAid Quinn |
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mixedupjo
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2009 : 3:11:36 PM
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Good advice Quinn. The Artisan can do 2 loaves beautifully, but ya gotta put most of the flour in at the beginning and then get the rest in quickly. I've never used more than 6 c. AP flour for 2 loaves, using the KitchenAid recipe that came with my mixer, and I always start out with 5 c. (I did adjust the yeast to 4 1/2 tsp. active dry, and I let it bloom for a few minutes so the grandkids can see it and smell it.) My total mixing and kneading time is usually 5 minutes or less, and then I get it out and let the grands knead by hand for a minute or so, just to get the love in and teach them what dough is supposed to feel like. They know what "smooth and elastic" means and they're all under 3rd grade. (Feather in Gammy's cap. I didn't find that out till I was 53!)
And yes, the Artisan can sound like an old Gremlin with a bad tranny under a heavy load, but only for a minute. It should come out of it before it stops. I think Mixfinder told me to turn mine upside-down while it was running to lubricate everything. I think I told him he was insane but I'd have Hubby do it anyway.
Luvs,
M |
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SpiceUmUp
USA
1865 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2009 : 6:35:35 PM
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7 cups of all purpose of bread flour is a lot for the artisan to handle making a bread dough. The flour power rating should be cut by about a third for bread dough.
Happiness is Fresh baked bread, aged wine, soft cheese and firm friends.
Life is to short for Boring food
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MarciaH
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 07:13:55 AM
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| Sorry for the slow reply. Since my original inquiry, we've had a week of vacation and what seems to be about 100 pounds of cucumbers from the garden to deal with after I get home from work. Not a lot of time for baking or the computer. Thanks to everyone for the help. Looks like cutting the recipe in half may be the answer. My recipe yields two large boules and uses 12 ounces (about 1-1/3 cup) starter, 2 pounds plus 2 ounces (about 7 cups) bread flour, 1 pound plus 2 ounces (about 2-1/4 cups) cool water and 4-1/2 teaspoons sea salt. This does make a rather stiff dough. I'll try this as soon as I get back in the kitchen and let you know the results. Thanks again! |
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Mixing Bread Dough
