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The Right Beater for the Job by Carol Fenster

by info@gfreecuisine.com 13. April 2009 09:16

Earlier this spring at a speaking engagements, my work station was equipped with a KitchenAid stand mixer. I was scheduled to demonstrate a cookie recipe and noticed that the beater in the KitchenAid was the wire whisk, rather than the paddle or blade I expected (and always use at home).

I made the cookies anyway because it was the only beater we had that night, but I had a hard time blending the ingredients together. After my demonstration, I was amazed to learn that many of the attendees didn't understand which attachment was the right beater for the job.

So, here's a quick summary so you know which beater to choose and a photo, as well.

Dough Hooks
This attachment looks like one or two hooks (depending on your mixer) and they're designed for kneading bread. However, our gluten-free bread dough is really more like quick bread batter and does not require kneading. So, the dough hook is something I never use for gluten-free dough because it doesn't do a thorough job of blending ingredients.  

Wire Whisk
The wire whisk attachment looks like a big whisk and is designed to whip air into egg whites to make  meringue or angel food cake or to whip air into heavy cream to make whipped cream. This whisk isn't really strong enough to beat heavy bread doughs, although several people apparently have done so. That may be one reason for bread failure because the ingredients need to be mixed thoroughly for success

Paddle or Blade or Flat Beater
This is the attachment that you use to make dough for just about everything: cookies, bars, and bread. It is also used to blend cake batter, or other desserts. It is shaped like a somewhat-rounded triangle and looks odd, but certainly does the trick. Of all the beater attachments that came with my KitchenAid stand mixer, this is the one I use the most. It's virtually indestructible and should last a long time.

I just learned about an improved flat beater for KitchenAid stand mixers called the New Metro Design. Make sure the one you buy is right for your mixer size (e.g., 5 qt, 6 qt, etc.)

One last thing; follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning and caring for your mixer beaters. For example, some wire whisks should not be washed in the dishwasher.

Now you know which beater to choose for the job. Get in the kitchen and start baking.

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About the Authors

Ann Bender & Karen Hutcherson
Marketers by profession, both Ann and Karen have a fondness for good food and healthy cooking. They understand the importance of the nightly family dinner and developed Relish! a premier menu-planning service (relishrelish.com). Relish! received hundreds of requests to offer the same type of service but to make it gluten-free. Because of the complexity of the product, they solicited the help of gluten-free cooking expert, Carol Fenster, to provide all of the recipes and many of her famous bread and dessert recipes!