The author's evolution from hand-mixing to using an Ankarsrum Assistent mixer marks a significant improvement in their sourdough bread-making process. After baking over 1,000 loaves in four years, the labor-intensive approach required long hours for mixing and stretching dough. This specialized Swedish mixer, known for its 7.4-quart bowl and unique roller-style mixing arm, aligns with professional bakery equipment, simplifying the process and increasing efficiency. While it takes practice to master, the Assistent has gained popularity among home bakers looking for a superior mixing experience.
Its first trademark feature - a large, 7.4-quart capacity bowl that can handle five kilograms of dough - is what allowed me to quit hand mixing.
Every dough-mixing day was a carefully orchestrated process that required blocking out seven hours to mix and stretch the dough every 30-minutes.
The most common stand mixers... use what's known as "planetary" movement... Ankarsrum's Assistent, instead, spins the bowl while a vertical roller mixes.
The Swedish-made Assistent has been around in various forms since the 1930s... and has gained traction in the United States recently.
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