Which Whisk Is Which
Try saying that quickly 3 times! I even had to rewrite this tongue twister a few times. So, which whisk is which? I have wanted to write this post for quite some time. And with gaps in my scheduling this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
When making a roux
We all know how easily lumps form when making a roux based sauce. The one shown in the picture is ideal to ensure a lump free béchamel. I have had this exact one for over 20 years. It is one of the first kitchen tools I bought. My aunt Evie has one and so does my mom. If you are keen on lump free sauces then look out for this whisk.
To slacken eggs
Many recipes call for eggs to be lightly beaten or slackened. I use this small whisk as it is perfect. I find it very useful as well when making a slurry to thicken sauces and even when making hot cocoa.
Heavy whisking
This is Dave’s favourite whisk and he uses it to beat eggs for omelettes. It is best used for heavy whisking such as thickening cream.
Scrambled eggs
There are loads of different ways to make scrambled eggs. I use this silicone whisk. First I beat the eggs with a little bit of water. Then I add them to a cold pan with a knob of butter. I turn the heat onto a medium temperature and leave the butter to melt. Once the butter has melted I start to gently whisk the eggs with this whisk. It scrapes the edges of my pan perfectly.
Light whisking
When making an anglaise for my ice cream recipes I use this whisk for the egg yolks. I find that it works perfectly and I am able to get the eggs to ribbon stage quite quickly.
Salad dressings
This is another whisk I have had for as long as I have cooked. It is perfect for salad dressings. I also use it when making sauces.
Do you have a selection of whisks and which one above would you buy after reading this post?
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime June 13:
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- 2016 – Octopus Spaghetti
- 2013 – Fennel Parmigiana
- 2012 – Carrot And Beetroot Soup
- 2011 – The Post House
Clearly I need to up my whisk collection, Tandy. 🙂 I had no idea there were so many kinds!
I could even add more to my collection 🙂
That’s a nice collection of whisks. I’ve wondered about the ones with balls inside them and whether they work better. Agree about the roux one, I have a similar one I use for rouxs 🙂
The one with the balls makes life easier if you are whisking by hand 🙂
Interesting! My whisks are all the same traditional shape, but I have them in many different sizes. Even little bitty. A whisk is so important to a cook, I think.
I agree, very important.
Most interesting, TAndy. I only have two of these six whisks. I don’t use them very often, only to lightly beat eggs and stuff like that. Cream and cakes I use an electric beater or my Kenwood.
I also prefer my stand mixer for the heavy stuff 🙂
Thank you. I really enjoyed this. With no formal kitchen training, posts like this are super informative for me – I have a lot of tools and need to know the best way to use them.
I love doing these types of posts and should try and do them more often 🙂