Is folding with a spatula really necessary?
In most recipes involving whipped egg whites or whipped cream, you are instructed to fold a the whipped mixture in parts (thirds) into the non-whipped mixture using a spatula. For example, angel food cake or souffle.
But, it is easy to deflate the mixture too much when using a spatula, especially for someone inexperienced, so why not use a whisk? Other than scraping the sides/bottom of the bowl, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't, and you could also use a folding motion while also preventing the mixture from deflating, and combines them faster. Personally, I prefer a whisk.
Is there any other reason to use a spatula over a whisk, or is it just conventional practice?
In other words, is convention correct (based off your experiences)?
Best Answer
The mechanism of a whisk is very different from a spatula. One is able to very gently fold the ingredients with a spatula while minimizing mixing. A whisk's tines will cause much more damage to the whipped mixture, deflating the fragile bubbles you worked so hard to create. It's really worth practicing with the correct tool. It won't take you long to master this.
Simply cut through the ingredients with the spatula and lift about 1/3 of the mix from the bottom and gently fold over the top, then turn the bowl and repeat. Fold as little as possible to just combine the ingredients. In some recipes complete mixing is not even necessary.
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Quick Answer about "Is folding with a spatula really necessary?"
One is able to very gently fold the ingredients with a spatula while minimizing mixing. A whisk's tines will cause much more damage to the whipped mixture, deflating the fragile bubbles you worked so hard to create. It's really worth practicing with the correct tool. It won't take you long to master this.Is folding important in baking?
Folding is an important baking technique. Here's how to do it correctly. Folding is used to mix delicate batters and mixtures; the aim is to incorporate ingredients or components without causing deflation. Folding is required, for example, when incorporating beaten egg whites into a souffl\xe9 base.What is the point of folding in cooking?
A technique used to gently combine a light, airy ingredient (such as beaten egg whites) with a heavier one (such as whipped cream or cake mix).Why do you fold with a metal spoon?
If the air is knocked out of them, they won't lighten your dish as they should. Fold with a large metal spoon, if possible, in order to minimise the crushing of the air bubbles. Cut down vertically into the centre of the mixture.What utensil is best for folding in flour?
When a recipe asks you to 'fold' (such as when incorporating whisked egg whites into a base mixture) the best utensil to use is either a large metal spoon or flexible spatula.3 BS Beauty Trends That Need To Stop..... \u0026 Fixes That Actually Work
More answers regarding is folding with a spatula really necessary?
Answer 2
While the conventional wisdom is to fold with a spatula, several online resources suggest that folding with a whisk actually deflates less.
Epicurious prefers a balloon whisk to a spatula
That rubber spatula seems to take forever to incorporate flour into whites and the whole while, you watch as all the lovely volume you've whipped into your eggs slowly deflates (...) Luckily, there's an alternative to the flat and oomph-killing rubber spatula: the balloon whisk. (...) And thanks to its wide, balloon-shaped wire coils, it preserves the beautiful airiness of whipped eggs while quickly helping you blend in other ingredients.
Cooks Illustrated suggests starting with a whisk and finishing with a spatula
In the test kitchen, we like to start the process by lightening the heavier ingredients with one-quarter or one-third of the whipped mixture. A balloon whisk is ideal for the task: Its tines cut into and loosen the heavier mixture, allowing the whipped mixture to be integrated more readily. Next, the remaining whipped mixture can be easily incorporated into the lightened mixture. For this round of folding, we preserve the airiness of the dessert by using a rubber spatula, which is gentler than a whisk.
I've had good results with whisks especially in the initial process of lightening the batter.
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