Serious question, is it ever okay to use a stand mixer for laminated dough?

I was at a baking workshop in Portland last year and the instructor swore by using her KitchenAid with the dough hook for the initial butter block mix-in. She said it saved her 15 minutes of hand work. But my old boss at the restaurant would fire anyone who even looked at a mixer for croissants, saying it ruins the layers. I'm trying to speed up my weekend bake but don't want to wreck the flakiness. Has anyone tried this and had it actually work out?

3 comments

3 Comments

mason.julia3mo ago

Wait, what speed did that instructor use on her mixer? Because I feel like that's the real key (too fast and you'd totally melt the butter block).

brown.reese3mo ago

Exactly, the speed is everything for keeping it cold.

lee.diana2mo ago

That Portland workshop instructor is onto something. I saw a baker on YouTube use a stand mixer on the absolute lowest speed for just two minutes. He kept the bowl chilled in the freezer first. The butter stayed in perfect flat sheets. My attempt at home turned the butter into little pebbles though. I think the machine has to be ice cold too, not just the ingredients. Maybe some people just have the touch for it.