The addition of a stand mixer is one that will make your kitchen comfortable. Stand mixers are strong, durable kitchen accessories that enable cooks of all levels to easily prepare fresh-baked bread, juices and more. But a stand mixer isn’t one of those machines that you can sit on the counter and start using it immediately. In fact, this is a dangerous step that could actually tear your appliance apart or cause a huge disaster in your kitchen! This is especially true when certain mistakes are made. Take a look at these common stand mixer mistakes, and make sure that you’re not making them.
-
Owner’s Manual 101
Sure, you’ve seen a thousand other owner’s manual, but don’t assume that they all contain information that you already know. This isn’t always the case, especially when purchasing a stand mixer. When you consult with the owner’s manual, you can learn how to properly operate the stand mixer and how to take the best care of the machine. Read up!
-
High Speeds Ahead
There is a high speeding on your mixer that allows you to easily mix thicker doughs or larger amounts of food. If you need to use the high-speed setting, that is perfectly fine but do not start the mixer at high speed. This will cause a lot of spattering and potentially a mess that you won’t be too keen on cleaning.
-
Clearance
There is a beater to bowl clearance that you must be aware of. The beater should never touch the bowl’s bottom, but it also should not be so far away from it that your mixtures are getting thoroughly mixed. When you get this future right, you’ll have less headache and greater mixing. What better way to learn this information than by checking the owner’s manual?
-
Mixing and Scraping
It is tempting to scrap the bowl as you are using the mixer. In fact, some recipes will call for you to do this. But the truth of the matter is that you should not do this! The spatula may easily become trapped in the beaters, which can cause malfunctioning with your appliance and damage the spatula considerably.
-
Chill the Beater and the Bowl
If you chill the beater and the bowl before using it, you’ll be amazed at the creations you are able to make. This simple step provides big benefits for cooks. With a cold beater, your doughs and creams will be light and fluffy and just the way that you want them! Just a few minutes inside of the freezer should do the trick.
Final Thoughts about Stand Mixer Mistakes
How many of these mistakes are you guilty of committing? If you are like most cooks, you’ve probably made at least one mistake. But now that you know what not to do, using your stand mixer will now be a far more pleasurable experience, with less hassle at the end of the day. Do not make the mistakes we’ve listed above.