BatchCooker

Thank you for the explanation, that is very helpful!

Hi everyone, I was wondering whether someone can explain the science behind why you should let your bread cool down before cutting into it. I've read multiple blog posts on this issue, but all that I've found are somewhat vague ("There is steam in the bread which would mess up the crumb"). Does somebody know? And also more generally: Which kind of baked goods do need to cool down first and which don't? What does determine this? Thanks a lot! BatchCooker

Thanks to you both! I guess I will get the machine then

If someone needs some hints on Berlin restaurants, I can help! Just quote me and let me know. Not in the next months I guess, but once tourism starts again...

Hi everyone, I am in the process of buying a stand mixer (leaning towards the Ankarsrum right now), esp. to make more homemade bread, pizza and pasta. So far I've only really done no-knead doughs and those worked out pretty well. Now I am wondering: What is actually the advantage of having a stand mixer? Is it just saving me time or are there actually doughs one can't really do well using no-knead? I read that whole wheat doughs or doughs with a high fat content will develop less gluten... is this where the stand mixer is coming into play really? Thanks! BatchCooker

The weight is 6kg = 13.2 pounds - does that seem alright?

Hey everyone, one question about the oven size: Will a baking steel 30cm (11.8inch) times 40cm (15.75in) fit inside? The Anova webpage lists the interior as 429 x 315 x 254mm, so it seems like it should fit. But I wonder whether any elements in there that hold the racks or so would be an obstacle? Thanks!

I see. Can I ask you two more questions? 1. For cream or egg whites - do you use the plastic bowl and the whisk in the Ankarsrum? Or do you use the metal bowl and the roller? I read in some forums that the latter also works? 2. I read that you cannot work with cold butter in the Ankarsrum? Is that also your experience?

Hm, how well does your Ankarsrum handle smaller quantities? Say, a dough with 250g of flour?

Yes, that model, I was indeed thinking of things like hollandaise. But thinking about it, I don't make that so often that it is worth spending a few hundred just to make that a bit easier. Not sure, how powerful. It is induction though. Anyways, I think I will stick with the non heated option (though I'd be bit afraid to use a torch on my expensive stand mixer

Thanks! I read about the Ankarsrum. It seems to have a good rep for bread, but less so for smaller quantities and for other stand mixer uses like whipping egg whites etc. So that is why I am considering the Kenwood, since it seems to be decent at bread as well as the traditional stand mixer uses. But I think it is not a very common brand in the US, so it is a bit hard to find good comparisons to the KitchenAid online.

Hm, why would that be a good substitute? I was thinking that a heated bowl of stand mixer would be good for all applications that require heat (sometimes fairly precise heat) at the same as thorough mixing?

Thank you! I guess I'll skip the heating function! Ulmer Spatz is quite far away still from me, but I'll do my best

Hello everyone, I am planning to get my first stand mixer. I am esp. gonna need it for doughs (bread, pasta, pizza, etc). I am not doing so many desserts or sweet baking projects (yet). I am considering KitchenAid as well as Kenwood. From my understanding, Kenwood is probably a bit better for heavy doughs (but the KitchenAid has a much nicer look...). Now my question: Kenwood has some models that have an integrated cooking function / ability to heat the bowl at a fairly specific temperature. While I am not very interested in cooking stews or risottos in the stand mixer, I wonder how useful the possiblity of heating the bowl is when it comes to various kitchen tasks? Would that be very useful for, say, making a butter sauce because you can keep it at the right temperature and let the stand mixer whisk it? Or useful for certain desserts (which I don't make so often yet...)? It makes a price difference of a few hundred Euros (that is, roughly a few hundred dollars), so the advantages of the stand mixer with cooking function vs. the stand mixer without cooking function would need to be fairly significant to go for it... Oh, I should also mention that I am probably gonna get the new Anova Precision Oven if the reviews turn out to be good... in that case I can proof yeast dough in the precision oven anyways and the heating function of the stand mixer would not be useful for that particular purpose. Best Jakob

Thank you for the warm welcome! I actually do not cook that much German food to be honest I grew up more with French and Italian inspired food, because my dad somehow liked that more, I guess. Maybe also because Northern Germany does not have much of a food culture... all the good stuff is in the south really. So nowadays, my most cooked dishes are Italian (esp pasta in various forms) and curry dishes. Having said that, I do regularly cook some German cuisine such as Swabian style lentils or Cologne style pea soup. Also Knödel and Spätzle, but mine are not that good yet. Or Gulasch or Schnitzel, though those are Austrian rather than German.

Hello to you all from Germany! I'm a frequent home cook and have recently been getting into some of the sciency cooking literature, esp. the Food Lab by Kenji Lopez-Alt. As a home cook I am mostly into comforting classic dishes, well prepared - for the more avant-garde cuisine I tend resort to restaurants for the most part. I heard about the forum in an interview with Nathan Myhrvold. I am looking forward to become part of this community Best, BatchCooker