Cooking For Engineers

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

Hi,
When a recipe says to use a electric mixer are they talking about a stand one or hand held if all they say is using a electric mixer beat such and such till creamy on med. speed? Would there be a difference in med. speed in either of these mixers?

thanks!

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

They usually mean a handheld electric mixer. Using a stand mixer should be no problem, just set it to a little less than medium speed just to be sure and see if it comes together as it should.

I usually use a stand mixer by staring off on low speeds and increasing the speed as it becomes clear that nothing is going to slosh out or splash. If I'm trying to incorporate air (whisking, whipping, or foaming) my target is to get to high speed. For practically anything else, medium is about as high as I need to go (that's a 6 out of 10 on my Kitchenaid Artisan). I always start off low (2) and click up to the next level as it looks safe (sometimes immediately, sometimes after 30-60 seconds). If you're mixing something to combine smoothly, then a target speed of 4-6 (medium) should be just fine on a Kitchenaid stand mixer.

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

thank you!

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

Mr. Chu,

In the post before I forgot to ask you , on one of my recipes it says : With a electric mixer on medium to high speed,for 30 seconds beat butter and sugar. Could you please share your thoughts on what they mean by medium to high speed, does that mean medium speed or high speed use or does it mean medium to meduim high use? Its from the better homes and garden biggest cookie book. Also seen recipe say low to medium to. Sorry but never seen a recipe written like this.

Thanks,
Mumu

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

Usually, "medium to high" means any speed between medium speed to high speed inclusive. So, medium, medium-high, high... 5/10, 6/10, 7/10, etc.

Again, I suggest you start off on low speed and work your way up as fast as the mixer will mix the materials comfortably without making a mess. If your butter is cold and solid and you started your mixer on high speed, then chances are your butter won't be in the bowl anymore - it'll have been catapulted across the room and sticking to the wall.

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

THANK YOU AGAIN!!

Mumu