I like to bake. Usually I make small batches of cookies, muffins, quick
breads. I combine ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand with a wooden
spoon or wire whip. From time to time I make yeast bread. I knead by hand.


Recently we've been thinking about how much we like croissants and how
there's no bakery around here that makes good ones and how far we drive
in the quest for the perfect croissant. We've been thinking about
making them ourselves.


I bought _Baking Illustrated: The Practical Kitchen Companion for the
Home Baker_. This is the book by the editors of Cook's Illustrated
Magzine, America's Test Kitchen people with Christopher Kimball, the guy
with the bowtie. I know we all like to argue about television
celebrities, but I like those people. I find the information
well-presented and informative.


The book recommends a stand-up mixer for the croissant dough. We don't
have one, and I'm looking for advice on whether we need one. It's the
usual consideration of balancing cost and counter space against how much
we'd actually use it. We do have a cuisinart which is kept under the
counter and brought out from time to time. Has anyone found that having
a stand-up mixer makes a big difference in making croissants, or is
doing that part by hand or cuisinart just as good? I don't want to buy
a big appliance for one task, but neither do I want to risk bad results
because I wasn't willing to start with the right equipment.


--Lia