Cooking For Engineers

[sweetcakes]

Why do some say when it comes to creaming butter and sugar,you should mix the butter alittle before adding the sugar? (the butter is already soften when i put in the bowl) this is still said after knowing this. And others say to just put both butter and sugar together in the bowl and start creaming. Which is the way to do this? This applies to cakes and cookies.

sweetcakes

[Dilbert]

if the butter is not soft, a bit a pre-mix helps break it up so it will soften quicker.

part of 'creaming' is getting the water in butter into contact with the sugar - so perhaps even if the butter is soft 'spreading it out thin' will increase the surface area . . . guessing here, actually....

[sweetcakes]

so is it really nec. to cream the butter first,if i have already soften buter? could i just put the two tog. and cream it like that or would it be better to cream first. Based on your judgement would it matter that much if u dont cream it first verse doing the both tog. How do u do this process? anyone else would like to share how they do it too,would like to know.

sweetcakes

[Michael Chu]

When I cream butter and sugar together, I usually have the butter soft enough so it mixes without thumping around too much. Sometimes I blend it a little first to break it apart, but if it's soft already, I don't bother. I beat the sugar in until the color of the butter lightens and it seems to be "fluffier" or creamier than before. I think what's important is the even distribution of sugar throughout the butter and that it is soft and not chunky. I haven't noticed a difference between mixing the butter up first and then creaming vs. going directly to the creaming stage - but I have also not run any tests on this.

[Dilbert]

>>experience . . .

I always pull the butter out and allow it to soften.

then again . . .

once it's in the mixer bowl, I always whap it around a bit before adding the sugar.

so,,, the question - rephrased ? - would be:

stick(s) of soft butter in the bowl, dump the sugar on and commence to cream the whole lot together at the same time

- or -

sticks(s) of soft butter in the bowl, whip the butter into a thin layer, then add the sugar.

given sufficient 'creaming time' my bet is both methods will produce a similar end result.

[sweetcakes]

Imade cookies the other day and i found out i think i pre mixed the butter to much bec. my cookies spread. All I did is let the butter in the mixing bowl get to a thin layer and than added my sugar. Maybe I should of only beat the butter a little instead of what I did.? Yes i did have my butter soften already. Some say u should beat the butter first I really think thats too much mixing going on there before u add the sugar? Or maybe I am not doing it right?


Sweetcakes

[Dilbert]

if the recipe calls for "creaming the butter and sugar" the best indication of success is the color - it will turn noticeable paler / lighter when the process is complete.

>>cookies spread -
too much fat or as you mentioned letting the butter get too soft.

[sweetcakes]

so should i only beat the butter for maybe 30 sec. instead like i did, got it creamy than add the sugar. I guess what i am asking is for making cookies that tell u to cream butter and sugar tog. thats all it says,how long should i slap the butter around in the mixer before adding the sugar? Butter is soften already just giving the butter more surface area for the sugar.


Sweetcake

[Dilbert]

the purpose of beating the butter prior to adding the sugar is to ensure it is soft - that's all - if you've already allowed the butter to warm to the point it is not chunks - no need to "pre-beat" the butter at all -

as soon as the butter is free of big chunks and lumps - add the sugar

[yocona]