MIXING TECHNIQUE AND BAKING PROCEDURE.

A. CREAMING METHOD
The creaming method is a common mixing method that is used for a majority of baked goods,
particularly cakes and cookies. This mixing method starts off by combing the sugar with the fats
(usually butter or shortening). This method creates lots of tiny air cells in the fat which is
necessary in the final product for volume and tenderness leavening for more information). The
mixer should never be on high speed during mixing the friction can melt the fat and destroy air
cells. After the sugar and fat is creamed properly the mixture will be light in color and airy in
consistency.
. The eggs should be added after the fat and sugar are creamed properly. The yolks contain an
emulsifier which allows fat and water to exist together in the same product without separating.
The eggs should be incorporated one at a time and slowly until the egg has been absorbed and
mixed in well. Adding the eggs in too quickly will cause can cause the mixture to separate and
air cells will be lost. A mixture that has curdled can still be used, just expect a loss of volume and
possibly a less tender product (also from the loss of volume). Curdling is more apparent in batter
than in finished baked goods because when eggs curdle the proteins shrivel up and water is
expelled. Baking cakes and cookies almost always curdles the eggs, but because there is heat the
water is evaporated or the water is absorbed by gluten or starch in the flour. Once flour is added
to the product the mixture will come back together and may no longer be curdled. To help
prevent curdling when adding the rest of the liquid and dry ingredients-add them alternatively.

BLITZ METHOD
The blitz method is not a common method in the bake shop because it does not properly
incorporate all the ingredients together in a way that maximizes volume. The blitz method is best
used when time is a factor or when volume is not important. The blitz method is when all
ingredients are added to a bowl and then the batter is mixed until the batter is complete. The blitz
method is actually very common in bread baking since one the gluten develops the dough will
most likely not absorb any additional ingredients.

FOLDING
Folding is a method of mixing that carefully incorporates ingredients together so that volume is
not lost. It is typically used when egg whites or egg yolks have been whipped into a meringue or
pate a bombe/ribbon stage. After the eggs have been whipped to maximum volume the dry
ingredients are folded into the eggs carefully-this helps prevent the air cells built into the eggs
from being destroyed. Folding is also used when adding whipped cream to lighten creams and
mousses such as diplomat cream or chocolate mousse.
Folding is always done by adding lighter into heavier. For example: Meringue is folded into
ribbon stage egg yolks, whipped cream is folded into pastry cream. This helps reduce the number
of air cells that are destroyed. Fold in parts: The first step in folding is to add a little bit of the
lighter component to the heavier component. Do not add all of the lighter component all at once
otherwise you will destroy all of the air cells in the lighter component and reduce the volume of
the finished product. Ideally, you want to fold in the lighter component in 3 portions. The first
portion should be the smallest and will lose most if not all volume, but the heavier component
will be much lighter and will destroy less volume when adding the second and third portions. On
the same taken, you don't want to fold in the lighter component in too many parts. By over
folding you may end up destroying too many air cells resulting in lost volume as well as wasting
your time. Fold in carefully: The second step in folding is to use a rubber spatula and carefully
turn the heavier component into the lighter component. Do not stir or beat the mixture you'll just
destroy all the air cells.

BLENDING METHOD
The blending method is a common method for making cakes and muffins. Most of the
ingredients (including some liquid ingredients) are placed in the bowl and blended together using
a paddle attachment. Additional liquid ingredients (melted butter, milk, oil, and eggs) are added
and blended in. Compared to other mixing methods, the blending method has more liquid
involved. The blending method is most commonly used when making boxed cakes. One problem
you may encounter if you use the blending method is curdling. Curdling happens when too much
liquid is added to the product and the fat cannot hold onto it just like in the creaming method.
This can also happen if the batter is under mixed or over mixed. Ideally the mixture should be
mixed for one minute on medium to medium-high speed
The blending method is a common method for making cakes and muffins. Most of the
ingredients (including some liquid ingredients) are placed in the bowl and blended together using
a paddle attachment. Additional liquid ingredients (melted butter, milk, oil, and eggs) are added
and blended in. Compared to other mixing methods, the blending method has more liquid
involved. The blending method is most commonly used when making boxed cakes.
One problem you may encounter if you use the blending method is curdling.Curdling happens
when too much liquid is added to the product and the fat cannot hold onto it - just like in the
creaming method. This can also happen if the batter is under mixed or over mixed. Ideally the
mixture should be mixed for one minute on medium to medium-high speed initially. Then once
all of the liquid ingredients are added, it is mixed on low speed for another minute.
Commercial kitchens use the blending method as it is very fast and very labor friendly. To help
ensure the product comes out correctly and consistently every time bakeshops have a shortening
available to them called hi-ratio shortening. This shortening has an emulsifier added to it which
helps prevent curdling even when the batter is over mixed. The added emulsifiers also help trap
air, when contributes to leavening. Generally. the more emulsifiers and the more effective the
emulsifiers they are, the more air that be incorporated. Emulsifiers help trap air well because
they make proteins stronger and more flexible which in turn allows them to hold on to air better.
Blended cakes are typically more moist than whipped cakes. If made with hi-ratio shortening,
blended cakes will also be superior in volume than whipped cakes.

WHIPPING METHOD
Whole eggs being whipped for a coconut genoise The whipping method is a mixing method
popular for making spongy cakes and cookies such as angel food cake, genoise, and ladyfingers.
It is a difficult, time consuming process and has loss popularity over the years because of the
amount of time and skill they require to make. Also, because of the high amount of eggs used in
these cakes they are also very expensive. Cakes made using the whipping method are spongier
and lighter than cakes made with the blending method (unless the blended cake has hi-ratio
shortening in it. Then they are about the same or blended cakes are superior). These cakes are
airy and have larger pockets of air cells in the crumb (the inside of the cake) and tend to be
tender or delicate nature. They are not as common as blended cakes are in the production of
wedding cakes since they are so soft.
Typically, the whipping method requires either egg whites, egg yolks, or both (or even whole
eggs) to be whipped up into a meringue or pate a bombe/ribbon stage. Then the remaining dry
and liquid ingredients are folded carefully (sometimes in parts) into the whipped eggs. Usually if
there is both a meringue and a pate a bombe, the dry ingredients and liquid.
are carefully added/folded into the pate a bombe and then the soft or medium peak meringue is
folded into the pate a bombe. (Stiff peaks are not recommended for cakes. because they don't always
fold in well), Remember that folding is used to prevent over mixing and to protect as many of the air
cells created during the whipping process as possible. In a true sponge cake, no chemical leavened
(such as baking powder) is used and all of the leavening comes from the aeration of the eggs. Many
cakes still include a small amount of chemical leaver to help make the cakes taller - sort of a
precautionary measure.
Since there is such a high amount of eggs in whipped cakes they can be more flexible than blended
cakes. This allows the cake to be rolled into a roulade. The eggs combine with the starch in the flour
to create a flexible cake. Oil and syrup can help add to the baked good's flexibility but is not always
necessary especially if there are a lot of egg yolks in the batter

COMBINATION METHOD
As the name implies the combination method is a combination of the creaming method and the
whipping method. This method takes parts of each method and incorporates them into one method.
Typically, the creaming method donates the process of creating the sugar. and fat together while the
whipping method brings a soft or medium peak meringue to the mix. The variety of cakes produced
using the combination is wide and varied and includes sponge cakes, pound cakes, and some
cheesecakes. Generally speaking, a sponge cake made using the combination method will be more
like a whipped cake in texture.

RUBBING OR BISCUIT METHOD

This mixing method is most commonly used to make pie dough, certain kinds of biscuits, and
streusel topping. It is a very simple and quick mixing method. The dry ingredients are placed in a
large bowl with the fat which is at room temperature and broken or cut into about half inch cubes.
Then the fat is cut into the flour using the rubbing method. To do this take some of the flour and fat
in your hands and rub your hands together once. This slightly melts the fat, stretches the fat, and
mixes the fat and flour together. Do not rub back and forth in your hands as this will just over mix
the fat and melt it. Then you rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. The rotating of the bowl is to
make sure that you aren't only working one part of the bowl. This is done over and over again until
the fat has been incorporated and the pieces of fat resembles coins.
Long flake is when the butter is still very large, approximately the size of half dollar coins, and will
bake into a very tender crust. It is typically used for the top of a pie as it may not hold up well as the
pie shell itself. Short flake is the most desirable state and is when the butter is in quarter sized pieces.
The crust creates a strong but tender crust and is typically used as either the top or as the pie shell.
Mealy is when the fat has been rubbed too much and resembles peas. This dough is tough and has a
tendency to warp and shrink when baked. It will also not create a very flaky pastry. This can only
really be used as the pie shell but this is the desired state for crumb toppings and streusel toppings.
Once the dough is in the desired state, cold water is tossed into the pie dough until it comes together
and forms a ball. Cold water is used to help keep the fat cold and prevent it from melting. Too much
water and the dough will be sticky, wet, messy, and may not be as tender. Too little water and it will
be brittle and will not roll out properly. If water is collecting in the bottom of the bowl and sloshing
around, there is too much water-remove the dough

B. BASIC BAKING PROCEDURE

Preparing baking dishes and pans Rub a piece of butter over the inside of the dish with a paper towel,
making a thin, even coating. Sprinkle in some flour, then shake and tilt the dish until it is coated.
Turn the dish upside down and tap out the extra flour.
Sifting flour
Method 1: Put a sifter over a bowl, add the flour and squeeze the handle to force the flour through
the mesh screen.
Method 2: Put a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and add the flour. Hold the sieve by the handle and
gently tap it against your other hand.
Cracking eggs
Gently but firmly tap the middle of the egg on the edge of a bowl to crack the shell. Hold the egg
over the bowl and pull the shell halves apart, letting the egg fall into the bowl. Beating butter and
sugar Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl. The butter should be slightly soft for the best results.
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes.
Cutting butter into flour
Scatter the butter chunks over the flour. The butter should be very cold for the best results
Method 1: Using a pastry blender, make quick chopping motions, pressing down firmly into the
butter.
Method 2: Using 2 table knives, cut through the butter and flour by pulling the knives in opposite
directions. The mixture is ready when it looks like coarse crumbs with small pieces of butter still
visible.
Rinsing fruits
Thoroughly rinse all fruits under cool running water. Lay them on a paper towel in an even layer to
dry before using.
Peeling fruits and vegetables
Hold the fruit steady on a cutting board. Run a vegetable peeler down the fruit and away from you.
Keep turning and peeling until all the skin is removed.
Zesting citrus fruits
Using short strokes, rub the citrus fruit over the small holes of a box grater, turning the fruit as you
work. Rub off only the colored part of the skin (the zest). Avoid the white part underneath because it
tastes bitter.
Juicing citrus fruits
Hold the fruit on its side on a cutting board and cut it in half. Twist each half over the cope of a juicer
then strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve
Coring fruits
Hold the fruit steady on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut down through the center of the
fruit at the stem. Put the fruit halves, cut side down, on the cutting board. Cut each piece in half
lengthwise to make quarters.
Turn 1 quarter of the fruit onto one side and trim away the stem and core. Repeat with the
remaining 3 quarters.
Hulling (or coring) strawberries
Easy method: Using a small, sharp knife, cut across the top of the berry, removing the stem.
Advanced method: Insert the tip of a small, sharp knife near the stem and turn the blade in a
circle, removing the stem. Use the strawberries whole or cut lengthwise into halves or slices.
Working with puff pastry
Thaw the frozen puff pastry unopened in the refrigerator. Gently unfold it on a lightly floured or
sugared surface. When not in use, keep the pastry covered with a towel so it does not dry out.
Roll out the pastry with a rolling pin on the lightly floured or sugared surface.
Melting chocolate
Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Select a saucepan in which the bowl will rest
comfortably on top. Fill the pan one-third full with water. Heat the water over medium heat until
steaming. Place the bowl on top. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. As the chocolate
softens, stir it with a wooden spoon until melted and smooth. Use a pot holder or oven mitt and
be careful of the hot steam!
Testing for doneness
Using an oven mitt to steady the pan, poke a wooden skewer or a toothpick into the center of a
baked cake or muffin and then pull it straight out. If gooey batter is stuck to the toothpick, the
cake or muffin needs to bake longer. If no crumbs are clinging to the toothpick, the cake or
muffin is finished baking.
Dusting with sugar
Put confectioners' sugar in a fine-mesh sieve. Move the sieve slowly over the surface of the baked
good while tapping it gently against your other hand.
Whipping cream
Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the cream, Increase the speed to medium- high as the
cream thickens. It will take about 3 minutes, Turn off the mixer and lift the beaters. The cream is
ready if it stands in medium-firm peaks. Be careful not to beat the cream too long!