ARMILYN S. PATAWI

MIXING TECHNIQUES

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SIFTING This process separates coarse particles in the ingredients like flour and sugar by passing these through a sieve. In the process of sifting, air is incorporated.

ARMILYN S. PATAWI

CREAMING This is the technique of rubbing ingredients against a bowl using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer to develop a soft and fluffy combination of flour and batter, the creamed mixture should smooth the grainy particles.

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KNEADING This refer to pagmamasa or masa in Filipino. The process involves pressing, stretching, folding of doughs to develop gluten. This technique makes doughs smooth and elastic.

ARMILYN S. PATAWI

STIRRING This is often done by rotating a wooden spoon through a mixture as long as necessary until the ingredients are combined.

Stirring should be stopped as soon as the ingredients are combined. Over mixing may spoil the texture of many kinds of cakes and muffins.

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BEATING This process incorporates air into the mixture by mechanical agitation. It could be done with a fork, wire whisk or electric food mixer.

ARMILYN S. PATAWI

WHIPPING Eggs and cream are usually whipped to fill them with air and make them thick and fluffy.

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CUT AND FOLD This is a combination of cutting vertically into the mixture with a rubber scraper or spoon and turning over and over by gliding the spoon across the bottom of the mixing bowl at each turn.

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FOLDING This is working with two ingredients very gently to retain air in the mixture. Folding is the most efficiently done by hand. Dry ingredients are sprinkled on top of the fluffy mixture and folded gently and gradually. If the ingredients to be folded are liquid, pour less fluffy one on top of the another.

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CUTTING IN This process is the mixing of solid fat to flour with the use of a pastry blender or two knives in a scissor like manner. This method cuts fat into small pieces, coating them with flour to form coarse, granular mixtures for pastries and biscuits.

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SCALDING A process of heating below boiling point in a double boiler.

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TIPS ON WORKING WITH INGREDIENTS

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These activities will minimize errors in the mixing and measurement of ingredients.

Assemble all ingredients and utensils needed and arrange them within easy reach.Work on the pre-preparation and activities before mixing the ingredients. Such activities are:

a) Sifting and measuring the flour and sugar

b) Greasing the pans

c) Heating the oven

d) Chopping or grinding nuts

e) Melting cocoa or chocolate

f) Putting up dry ingredients

g) Putting together liquid ingredients

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Use standard cups and measurers. The ordinary coffee cup we use at table is not a standard cup for measuring ingredients. Neither, are the spoons and teaspoons we use at the table for eatingSift flour before measuring it. Do not tap the cup of sifted flour. This will pack the sifted flour again and remove the air that was incorporated into it when sifted.In measuring brown sugar, pack it firmly into the measuring cup and level off with spatula. In measuring refined sugar, heap to overflowing in the measuring cup and level off also with a spatula.

ARMILYN S. PATAWI

In measuring fats, bring to room temperature, if stored in the refrigerator, Press firmly into a spoon and level off.Make it a habit to trim, or scrape fruits and vegetables for pie fillings on a piece of old newspaper, to facilitate cleaning.

When measuring flour,sugar etc,., used waxed paper instead of newspaper for sanitary reasons. The excess flour or sugar is returned to the basins for these and waxed paper provides clean material to catch these.

ARMILYN S. PATAWI

Tidy up equipment and cooking area as you work. Utensils used for measuring, mixing, baking and other baking activities should be washed up and put away in their respective places for storage.Test cakes made with cake flour lightly touching the middle of the cake. When no dent is made on the surface, the cake is done.Test cakes made with all purpose flour by sticking a cake tester in the center. Cake is done when the cake tester comes out clean.

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Thanks for listening!