New Ankarsrum... any tips or advice?

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Bread obsessed on 6 Mar 2020 at 18:48

I'm getting my new Ankarsrum in a few weeks (bday gift... it's in the house but I have to wait for it?).

I've read about how the manual is not great, and the video useless (I think I found it on Youtube... smiling couple in spotless clothes chatting, surrounded by cooked bread loaves and mixer working unidentified dough!), any tips or advice from Ankarsrum owners?

Danny's link is a good one.  I had a KA, then a Bosch Universal, before I bought the Ank, and I think that the change from one to the other are not that large.   Obviously, the Ank has an open bowl, so if you are used to a bowl lift KA, you will find it much easier to add ingredients while mixing, and with the Ank, you generally don't run the risk of flour flying out of the bowl.

I always use the roller and scraper, ( I think i used the hook once or twice ) and while the action is different, it still ends up kneading the dough, and if you used your prior machine to knead to window pane, you just need to watch the first few times in the Ank to see how long that takes, then set the timer accordingly. 

 The one change I do notice is that some recipes suggest that you hold back some of the water when you start ( either to allow the mixer to develop the gluten at a lower hydration, or to ensure you don't add too much water at first )  that that method doesn't work as well for me in the Ank, because the water reduces the friction between the bowl and the dough, and so the bowl spins and the dough doesn't do anything for a while, and then eventually it starts to knead again, so I normally don't hold back water.

Hope you love yours as much as I love mine.    

 

 

Thank you, can't wait to try it out!!

I've only kneaded by hand so far though, so there will be an adjustment period for sure.

If you have only kneaded by hand,  the Ank will work out just fine for you.   If you learned to drive a stick shift and were used to using the clutch,  the first time you used an automatic car it would be a bit of an adjustment.   For you,  you won't have to unlearn anything, just through the flour, water, salt and yeast in the Ank,  start on low speed for a minute or two to mix, then turn up the speed to half or two thirds, and let it knead away for a few minutes.   

?? Looking forward to it!  Bday is in April, have to wait for it!  I tried to argue that I could have it now since there won't be a party anyway (gatherings are currently not allowed in Canada)... but it didn't work, my husband won't hear of it ?

Wow, LOVE it! I was dying to get in there, so after putting it together just got to it without further ado (manuals? later!).

The only problem I encountered was the dough getting stuck on the scraper a few times, any way around that? Or maybe because it was a small batch?  The super easy access allowed to just push it through while the mixer was still running so not a big deal.  Big unexpected plus:  Roller+scraper=no danger if you stick your fingers in there!

Details:

I started with a bread I was comfortable with, enough for 2 small loaves.

I did read up a bit in this forum while waiting for it.  So left the hook aside and used the roller about an inch from the side + scraper.

The dough was SO smooth! (mind you I've only kneaded by hand until now).

Can't wait to get to use it again!

- Pic of dough stuck on scraper

 

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The dough will get stuck on the scraper, but it is not a big g deal. You can manually swing the scraper and remove most of the dough. Sometimes I use a spatula to clean the scraper.

Since you formerly mixed by hand and didn’t use a mixer you will not have the typical problem of having to “unlearn” what you formerly did.

Yes, I've been told that.  Seems amazing at working dough, loved the interaction between scraper/roller, can't wait to try it again! (weekdays are harder since I still work full time).

Try making a Focaccia with this machine.  I just made dough for a focaccia with 80% hydration. And it went very well.

I really love my Ank. 

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Bread Obsessed, glad you attached the photo,  I normally get a small amount - say a teaspoon or two, that gets stuck to the back, not the entire lump of dough.  I have mixed extremely small amounts in the Ank, so I don't think that is an issue.  Did it it get stuck for a while?  It is possible if you let it run it would pull itself off.  I know we watch a machine when we first get it, but by now,  I set the timer and come back and it is done, so it is possible it does something similar for 30 seconds or more, and I just didn't notice it.  Glad you liked the Ank. 

It did get stuck, but you guessed right, I stood there watching it the whole time ?

Next time I'll try to wait to see what happens.

 

Trying this weekend, wondering about the wet dough, did you use the dough hook or the roller?

(different recipe since I don't have a sourdough starter)

Is never use the hook. 
It works great with the roller.  

Before I start I put some olive oil aside tow or three (depend on the size) garlic cloves finely chopped. 
That I use to brush the dough with before it bakes. 
And I sprinkle some fine chopped rosemary over it. 

The smell if that bakes makes your mouth water.  

Good luck with it.