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Kitchenary
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Term
Beat
A mixing technique that involves vigorous, rapid movements using a spoon, whisk, or electric mixer to incorporate air into ingredients, combine ingredients thoroughly, or develop texture. Beating is more aggressive than stirring but less intensive than whipping, typically performed in a circular motion with quick, repetitive strokes. See also "Aerate," "Mix," and "Whip."
Use room temperature ingredients when possible – they incorporate more easily.
Start slowly and gradually increase speed to prevent splattering.
According to Cook's Science: How to Unlock Flavor in 50 of our Favorite Ingredients by Cook's Illustrated – for manual beating, a side-to-side motion works best. The exception being for egg whites...whisk in rapid, horizontal loops, driving the whisk in and out of the whites.
When using an electric mixer, scrape down bowl sides periodically.
Beat eggs that were brought to room temperature for maximum volume.
Don't overbeat - this can cause ingredients to separate or become tough.
Use a bowl large enough to accommodate the vigorous motion without spillage.
If your bowl moves around when beating there are a few solutions – silicone-bottomed bowls are handy (I have had a similar version for years), set the bowl on a silicone trivet, or wrap a damp towel around the bottom of a bowl to keep it in place.
If you can afford it, a KitchenAid stand mixer really is worth the investment. I didn't buy one for years because of the price and once I bought one, I wished I had it sooner. You won't regret it – just buy a color that you will love forever because you will never need to replace your mixer! I know that there is a link above...but watch KitchenAid's site for good sales – they have them a couple of times a year (more color selections too).
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Whip
To beat ingredients quickly and vigorously – by hand or mixer – to incorporate air and create volume, commonly used for cream, egg whites, or batters. Whipping adds structure through trapped air bubbles in fats or proteins, and can be controlled to reach soft, firm, or stiff peaks.