I have a stand up kitchen aid mixer. Some recipes call for using the paddle attachment some the whip. Is there a rule of thumb on which one to use if the recipe does not specify?

By Yankee on Wednesday, October 04, 2000 - 01:51 pm: Edit

Paddle or a whip? Stand-ups, thumbs and rules? Oh, my. Are you sure you have the correct web site?

LOL

Actually, it really depends upon what you are making. Generally, a paddle will combine, while a whip will add air.

What are you making?

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Wednesday, October 04, 2000 - 05:26 pm: Edit

I think the paddle would be the standard in recipes that don't specify. In home recipes it would most closely equate to the standard attachment on a regular home style mixer.

Yankee - do you need a reminder to keep it clean here????? or am I mis-reading your inference? :~)

By W. DeBord on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 08:40 am: Edit

Paddle is definately the standard no question! Most recipes say "beat...., combine..., mix..." that's either by hand in a bowl or a paddle in a mixer. "Whip..., whisk..." refer to the whisk attachment and are ALWAYS specified.

When your a professional you learn when and how to bend the recipe instructions/method and use either.

By Yankee on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 12:09 pm: Edit

Sorry if my comments were taken as being "dirty," as opposed to "clean."

But really, if I said my comments were made "tongue in cheek" would that upset people as well?

I must have missed the "No Fun Allowed" warning on this site. Besides, having put up with some really offensive language by others here, I don't understand why I need to get my fingers smacked by the "clean" police. If you are offended by my little play on words, I apologize. But, you must have trouble getting through the morning paper if something as silly as that bothers you. :^O

As for the use of paddles and whips, try the Kitchen Aid web site...

By Panini (Panini) on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 01:21 pm: Edit

Hey yankee,
chill! She used a paddle, not the whip!

By the way, was it any of you who outbid me on that 19 century French pastry book on ebay?

By Mike S on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 01:28 pm: Edit

Thanks for the help! Sorry to start a controversy.
I just wanted to know if they were interchangable or not. Sometimes I have had some cakes come out a little flat, when I thought they should rise more. I was wondering if more air would take care of the problem. I am also experimenting with the thought that my oven may be too hot, and thats my problem.

Mike S.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 06:27 pm: Edit

Whoa, Yankee! :-O I was joking!!!!! No offense taken, no controversy intended! Sorry if it seemed serious. :-( Was my little emoticon unclear? We need some of those little yellow smiley an frowny faces at this forum like they have at other messageboards. It does make it easier to transmit humor when you don't have your own facial expressions to help you! (There must be one for "tongue in cheek".....)

Really, it took my slow brain a while to figure out, and I'm still not sure if that was the joke you were making!!! :-)

By Yankee on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 09:51 pm: Edit

Didn't mean to sound to uptight. Much is lost trying to communicate on this little screen.

;*! :^$ :>)

No, Panini, that wasn't me on ebay. Actually I have yet to get on ebay. Remember, I still have a rock to pay off and a wedding to save up for. I'm sure the future Mrs. Yankee would enjoy a 19th century pastry book (what was it?). But hey, pearls will get more milage this holiday season...

Hey Mike S., again, what type of cake are you trying to bake and what method are you using? Us grumpy (well, only a few) pastry folks can't help you much with the little that you have told us. "Pleazhe, ssharre with tha group."

What happened to TJ?

By danno on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 10:43 pm: Edit

hi panini, just curious, what was the actual title of the french pastry book that you got out bid on.

By W.DeBord on Friday, October 06, 2000 - 09:02 am: Edit

I think tj is in the process of relocating in Europe. He's like a grumpy old grandpa and I for one miss his comments.

Panini....hum...I haven't been there in a while maybe you shouldn't mention e-bays' had some interesting finds lately.....hint, hint....


Mike S everyone here will help....explain what's going wrong...what recipe your making...more details and we'll help you. This a controversy? HA...I guess you weren't here to meet Gerard.

By Panini (Panini) on Friday, October 06, 2000 - 06:17 pm: Edit

I'm sorry I have already deleted the information on the book,it was something something patissier,
it was in French.
W.Debord, I don't think ebay is asecret.Actually last night I picked up the print La Cousine by Leroy Neiman, hand signed,$102.!
This one is going the in retail shop.I had this poster in all the kitchens I have managed.

PS, I prefer a paddle.

paninicakes.com
Hey, I know you'll are busy but I need some feedback on my site. I just purchased Dreamweaver-fireworks, and I'm about to embark on editing my own site. This should be fun. The last time I tried to do something it was down for months.

By Panini (Panini) on Sunday, October 08, 2000 - 04:44 am: Edit

raine,
we are just knocking the edge of before we fondant. We just use a serated knife angled and just smooth the buttercream with a bent plastic scraper.

By Mike S on Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 11:24 pm: Edit

I am talking about just some basic cake recipes.It just seems they tend to rise and then fall more than I would expect( o at least what the picture looks like) So I was wondering more air... less air... pr maybe too hot an oven?

Mike S

By Bakerboy (Bakerboy) on Thursday, October 12, 2000 - 12:29 am: Edit

How many cakes do you bake at a time, and in what type oven?.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, October 12, 2000 - 08:58 am: Edit

They tend to fall after they risen? That's different. You must be talking about sponge cakes not butter cakes? Give an example of the names of the cakes/items your making (it will help to understand)and who's recipes (what cookbook) your using.

Have you ever checked your oven temp.? Also are you using the right pan size?

By chefkramer on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 10:02 am: Edit

Paddle or whip.......
basic question in the patisserie which i will try to explane in short:
Paddle: used for fast stirring of doughs and heavy fat-sponge mixtures. When receipy calls for butter to wipp up for creams or heavy cakemixes us this.
Whipp: anytime something light has to be added volume to ....like eggwhites .....whipp it up.
if your cakes wont rise add half of your suger while wipping whites not all in the end.
If used wrong you will get very unreliable results of your end product.
greetings to all

By Mike S on Monday, October 23, 2000 - 10:14 am: Edit

Ok, here we go again. I tried the chifon cake recipe in the recent issue of Southern Living Mag.
Once again my layers came out smaller than what is pictured. This time, the only other question I have is what was meant by whipping the whites until foamy before folding them in. how much is fomy? I whipped them until they were barley soft peaks.

Any other ideas on why my layers do not seem to rise like I see in the pictures.

Mike S

By chefkramer on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 12:29 pm: Edit

Foamy for making cakes, means the consistence has to be strong and firm .... not just soft ( sound funny ?)
when whipped to the max, you can pull out the whipp and the mixture is standing up peaks can go 3 inches when whites are seperated at first properly. The fairytale of overwhipping the eggwhites is just not true ....but impossible when min 1oz sugar / egg is used max..2oz.
Make sure when mixing different textures , for complete cake...to just lightly scoop these mixtures until completely dissolved in oneanother
greetings kramer

By Mike S on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 02:31 pm: Edit

Thanks alot! So it sounds like I was on the right track, but just needed to make them firmer. I will try that next time.

Mike S

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, October 25, 2000 - 06:35 am: Edit

You probably did under whip your whites but...I can also tell you from experience that it's not unusual (at all) for the photo to look thicker or larger than what you got when you followed the recipe. I'm not sure if it's the lens they use or because they enlarge from a close-up shot that "enhances" the overall height and look of photographed cakes. Or they have a food stylist who changes the pan size and or the recipe volume.

If you actually did make a mistake you will taste it. Is the texture too dense for a chiffon cake (do you know how a chiffon cake should be?)?

You also have to realize their could be a mistake in the recipe or it's not a great recipe.

So I would suggest to you to try making another chiffon cake from a different cookbook. If you fail everytime you make a chiffon then it's you making a mistake...but if a different recipe turns out for you, you may have been using a poor recipe.

By Mike S. on Wednesday, October 25, 2000 - 10:06 am: Edit

My expierence with chiffon cake is that it is spongy in texture. Is that correct? The taste was great. everyone who had a piece loved it. That usually is not the problem. So it might just be an image problem.
thanks again

Mike S.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, October 26, 2000 - 07:48 am: Edit

The taste was great and the texture was correct....well then, you just need to tweak your techinque and stop looking at the photo. Follow chefkramer and make sure your not under whipping your whites.

"Foamed egg whites" are not enough for any cake or baked product that relies on only on the eggs for it's rise. If sugar is added to the whites while your mixing it takes effort to over whip the whites. If no sugar is added while whipping whites you can over whip if you don't pay attention. The whites will look "broken" or "clumpy" when you fold into the base instead of smoothly mixing with the base.

When you take it out of the oven let it cool in a draft free location. Don't take it out of the pan until it's room temp. (about an hour), because that will effect your height/presentation also.

By Mike S on Thursday, October 26, 2000 - 09:45 am: Edit

Great tips! Thanks again to all of you!

Mike S