One of the main complaints we hear (and say) about the KitchenAid mixer is that it's hard to add ingredients to the bowl. In trying to shovel in portions of flour, we inevitably get it all over our countertops. So lately we've been dumping all the dry ingredients in at once, and our baking lives have become infinitely easier. Here's why.
We're not scientists (or Emma), but we know that mixing in the flour in stages allows the fat to coat the flour, keeping gluten from developing. (Gluten equals dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy.)
Two more reasons you might add flour in increments:
1. You have to mix longer to get everything incorporated, and more mixing means more gluten.
2. Dumping it in all at once and then turning on the mixer makes flour fly everywhere.
How we do it differently:
1. We find that we don't have to mix very long at all for our batter to come together. It's really no more than doing it in stages—and less if you count the times we inadvertently leave the mixer running in between additions.
2. We use our trick of draping a towel over the bowl, which works like a charm. Dump in your flour by lowering your bowl or even taking it off the stand to make it easier. Drape a kitchen towel over the top, making sure it isn't hanging in the bowl, and hold it secure at the back of the bowl (but keep your fingers free so that the beater can move). Then turn on the mixer on low and let it run for a few seconds. Turn it off, peek to see if the flour cloud has died down, and mix more if necessary, just until everything is combined. Here's a picture of the towel:
We haven't noticed a difference in our baked goods since we started this practice. Our countertops are much cleaner, and we're less frustrated.
The photo above is from this post, a review of the Beater Blade:
• Beater Blade for KitchenAid Stand Mixers
Related: Should I Buy a Tilt-Head or Bowl-Lift KitchenAid?
(Image: Faith Durand)
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I do this with all of my baking except when making pound cake. I find it doesn't come out as airy if I dump the flour in all at once.
I'll have to try this for chocolate chip cookies. I don't think it will work in every recipe though. I have a sugar cookie recipe that absolutely needs flour added in increments or else it will not incorporate. I learned that after years of being lazy and adding too much at once.
How fun! I was fighting with this just yesterday!
Many thanks
Ours came with a collar and spout that fits over the bowl and around the mixer shaft... works like a charm to keep the flour/cocoa powder/whatever from flying all over the place...
I've been baking for years and rarely if ever add in batches. Or when it tells to alternate wet and dry? All in at the same time.
Like drfaustus, ours also came with the collar/spout contraption - I thought all KitchenAids did? That kind of eliminates the idea that it's hard to add anything to the bowl too - just sprinkle the dry ingredients down the spout. :o)
reddirtmama- thats true, but it isn't so easy for lefties. Sounds silly, but the spout is on the right and I make more of a mess as a leftie trying to get into it than without.
Stop the mixer before all the flour is incorporated and finish by hand and it will help keep things airy and light. Some things don't do well overmixed (muffins and snack cakes) while others benefit from a brisk, extended mix.
jmorri26 - totally agree! The angle is JUST a little off for lefties and I am always struggling with it.
I actually keep my mixer running on the lowest setting, then add the flour. I find going from off to on, even at the slowest setting, gives it a "jump" that spits flour all over my counter, and it's minimized if the mixer is already going.
The towel method is especially good if you're mixing in cocoa; it's so fine that it really does fly all over the place.
Lefties, turn the mixer around. No kidding - it works.
I've been dumping it all in for years, except for bread or roll dough.
Never thought of the towel though but I'm going for it.
Is it so hard to spoon it in? I never thought this was an issue. I don't make a mess.
I haven't noticed that it helps with the flour cloud, but I love my BeaterBlade!!!
phoxx - when you turn the machine around the controls are on the far side so you have to reach over or around the mixer to adjust the speed. when incorporating a new ingredient, it is fairly common to need to adjust the mixer speed so this is not exactly ideal. you are clearly a righty and jmorri and jamimess are either lefties or know lefties. you might want to consider the possibility that there might be other people in the world who have a brain and have tried the most obvious alternative and have seen that it doesn't work.