250107_Hand Mixer manual artwork.qxp 25/01/2007 15:32 Page 14
THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS
THE CREAMING PROCESS
•Beating air into the butter helps a cake to rise. Butter and sugar are usually ‘creamed’ as a first stage of
•Use a warm bowl. Warmth aids the process, and is essential when you add eggs. Here you are forcing the fat of the butter to accept the liquid of the eggs, creating an emulsion
•The butter should be loose and soft: oozing, or dropping off a spoon easily or the process cannot take place
•Put the eggs (or yolks) into a jug and beat lightly, set aside
•Beat the butter and sugar for 10 minutes or so - which is really easy with the power of your hand mixer. This incorporates air into the butter, which goes pale and ‘fluffy’ as a result. This air helps the cake to rise
•Add the egg very slowly – drip by drip from the jug
Beat the mix really well before each addition
•Curdling is a failure of the whole process of emulsion. You will see the liquid and fatty solids separate out, which is a real nuisance
On a slow speed, try adding a little flour or ground nuts (from the recipe) a spoonful at a time, to save the situation
•Even if you are unable to to rescue, do not despair. A curdled mixture will still make a respectable cake
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