kenwood Patissier mixer

vixtress

does anyone have any experiience of this, it looks lovely and is a fraction of the price of a chef.
what does can the chef do that this cant? i know its less powerful and i guess you cant buy the attchments?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/o/ASIN/B000779URU/ref=s9_asin_image_1-2259_p/202-7246999-8564626?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0GKT9F4QT2YSXA8ZGG03&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=139042191&pf_rd_i=468294

i am answering my own questions but i would still like to know what you think?

thanks, vix

mossstar

Hi there - i have that mixer, and I love it! mine's white - I bought it here in NZ cause i don't think i'd be able to get a kitchenaid even if I could afford one! but it's been brilliant.

I've yet to use the dough hook, because I tend to use my bm for all dough/bread, but i use the whisk and the cake attachment all the time. I find that because it's out on the benchtop (worksurface) all the time, it's really quick and easy to whip up pancakes for the kid's breakie, or cakes when we need them... and i love that there's no fiddly bits to clean.

I only really use mine for cakes/pastrys/etc.... i still use my foodmixer a lot too - but it's much better having the Patissier because i used to have to make cakes in my foodmixer, they're definitely better made in the Patissier.

Good luck!

Steph.

recovering_spendaholic

I have the almond cream one of these and I love it! It looks terrific on the work surface and it performs really well too. I have used the three beaters and found it to be great for sponges, pastry, scones, bread dough, pizza base and loads more. I bought it because I really wanted a Kitchenaid but couldn't afford one, and I just don't think the Kenwood Chefs look that nice (how shallow am I?) - anyway I don't think I would need all the attachments on the chef either. I would say get one - they are great!

vixtress

i too am obviously that shallow as i am questioning that my real reason for wanting it is that it looks so nice
can you tell me roughly how big it is, ie is it as big as a chef i am trying to plan where i would put it if i get one?

Pipkin

I've got one of these and it's great!

I don't know how big it is compared to a normal Kenwood, but I've not got a big kitchen and I don't think it takes upmuch space..it looks fabby too

vixtress

i am finding myself eying up spaces in the kitchen! i must resist, i must resist, i must resist

billieboy_2

Can someone help me with my new Patissier please, I'm not finding the recipe book very helpful and it's my first experience with a non hand held mixer. I made Delia's all in one sponge yesterday and was rather disappointed with the results as I expected it to rise spectacularly! I probably mixed it for about 2 mins max. How long should you leave it mixing? Should the butter be really soft?

Also I tried mashed potato and while it is lovely and creamy there were still some very small lumps in it. Again, perhaps I'm not mixing it for long enough.

Finally I added raisins to a cake mix made with yoghurt, oil and eggs, etc and the raisins sunk. Should I have just folded them in at the end (the mix was rather wet if that helps). TIA.

Gingernutmeg

I never find that all-in-one cakes rise *that* well, unless you're adding a fair bit of baking powder, because you're not doing the creaming and folding that makes a traditional sponge so airy. On the plus side though, all-in-one cakes generally stay softer for longer. When you making an all-in-one, you do need really soft butter, and I tend to mix it till it's all blended, no longer. I don't have a mixer so I can't say how long, but it's definitely not a walk away and leave it mixing job

For the mash, were the potatoes cooked right through, and were they the right kind of potatoes? I wouldn't worry about a few tiny lumps though, it shows that they're homemade

Sinking fruit is a pain lol, and it seems to be one of those things that's totally hit and miss. I can make the same cake in exactly the same way and one time the fruit will sink, one time it won't. I swear there's an evil kitchen fairy that lives in my oven and takes great delight in pushing all of the fruit to the bottom of cakes Flouring the fruit a bit can help, especially if it's sticky, and folding it in at the end can help too. Again though I wouldn't stress about it, everyone's had the odd cake with sunk fruit I'm sure when you get a bit more used to the mixer and the timings etc, everything will be fine.

billieboy_2

Thanks Gingernutmeg. I wonder if there's an English recipe book somewhere for mixers. I've tried searching on Amazon but there's only one and that's American which is all cups of this and cups of that! I'm sure there'll be someone on along soon who's got a Patissier.

jenchin66

I too have the almond one of thees. We use it for everything from pastry, cakes, batter and mash. Haven't done dough because I use the bread maker for that. Its about the same size as an ordinary kenwood chef.

mum26

Hi I have a patissier, I generally make fairy cakes or muffins though so am no help with the all in one cake problem, although i'd be tempted to try again and add a little bit more baking powder? Have not tried mashed potato but I do find it excellent for meringues and pastry and bread dough (mine is red )