Hi - My partners and I just got a free 20-qt Hobart mixer (well, maybe not 'free' as my husband offered to do their website in exchange for the mixer...).

Being the impatient person I am, I had to use it the second we hauled it over to the shop. We didn't have any large orders, so I threw in a pound of butter and 2 cups of sugar and started creaming. The creaming didn't go so well as the paddle just kinda pushed the butter around. The only other time I used a Hobart was in culinary school where we made quite large batches.

Question is, is there a minimum amount of butter (e.g. 3 lbs?) you would use your Hobart over your smaller mixers? Or do you think it should have worked well with 1 lb and mine needs to be serviced? Thanks in advance for any input!

Hi!

I also have a 20qt Hobart and here's the amounts that I use for BC:


3# butter-softened
3# hi-ratio shortening
12# conf. sugar-sifted
2 c. heavy cream
3 oz. pure vanilla

I cream the butter & shortening until creamy. Mix in the vanilla. Alternate the sugar and cream until all is combined-scraping the bowl as you go. After all in combined, turn the mixer speed to 2 and let it rip for 5 minutes. Use speed 1 while mixing the ingredients together and be VERY careful when scraping the bowl.

Good luck!

Wanda

I had a 20-qt and creamed 1lb of butter or fat all the time. Look at the ratio of space in the 20-qt compared to the KA. The KA's beater goes almost wall to wall and top to bottom so it can beat up the butter a bit faster. The 20-qt has more space in it so it will take a while longer.

Just turn it on and walk away. It will be fine.

what I mix in mine is VERY similar to Wandootie above - If I have smaller amounts, I just use my Kitchaid. I would try a large batch of something and see how it works! Be careful and add the powdered sugar slowly - it can make a mess

i do 50 pounds at a time...i use the little kitchenaid for just a few pounds....like when i'm making chocolate icing....who would want to wash the big bowl and paddle for such a small amount? plus it looks like you'd waste half the batch on such a small amount.

I agree with all above. The Hobart will work on small batches, but I don't want to wash the bowl. For anything small I use the KA.

I have a 6qt KA and a 30 Hobart so either I do smaller batches on the KA or big ones on the Hobart. I wish I had a 20 since I think that would be better but this was here when I opened so I ain't complainin'!

When I do 8X recipe cheesecake, I have to be carefull since sometimes a thin layer of cream cheese sticks to the inside of the bowl and when you try to scrap and fill the pans, the 'layer' turns into little white chunks that I do not like!