Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I was with the group of people that I sign with on Monday nights and I was asked this question. What is the best utensil to use when creaming butter and sugar? A wooden spoon or a potato masher. I answered a wooden spoon. My friend Kathy wants to know why you can't use a potato masher. I didn't have an answer for her that night, so I said I would post this with the experts. So what do you think?

I'm not back online until Monday, so everyone have a great Holiday!

Todd

Todd,

The goal of creaming is to incorporate air into the mixture. This will help to create rise in the product. You simply cannot incorporate enough air with a potato masher. As well, when creaming by hand (although stand mixers are really great for this), you can use a whisk (your butter needs to be the perfect consistency) after you've beat the butter soft with a spoon.

Amy

I have an elderly friend that creams by hand with a wooden spoon...I've been trying to get her to use her standing mixer but she feels "by hand is better". Which is better -- by hand or the mixer?

(Honestly I think she does it this way because her mother it did that way and didn't have a mixer!)

Holly,

Both methods work, but by hand takes considerably longer to achieve the same effect as with a mixer.

Amy