Here's Exactly What You're Doing Wrong With Your Whisk

A whisk is a must-have kitchen tool, but you might not be using it to its full potential. Recipe developer Miriam Hahn of Chowhound has laid out the right tips to help you understand this all-important gadget, so you can whip cream and mix cake batter the right way. 

Along with the style of whisk that you choose, Hahn says that technique really matters here, especially the precise whisking motion.Your instinct may be to move the whisk in a circular fashion around the perimeter of the bowl — or you might lift the bowl, tilt the liquid to one side, and then use more of a diagonal beating motion, like the turning of a wheel. Both of these methods are actually not the most efficient. Instead, the best way to whisk anything is to use a side-to-side motion.

When you move the utensil back and forth, you are able to apply more force than with the other methods. Your heavy cream, beaten eggs, or sauces receive force in two ways: directly from the whisk and from the liquid pushing up against itself. Also, side-to-side is a less tiring movement to keep up with, so you can whisk faster for a longer period of time.

To get the most out of your whisk, it all starts with picking the right one for the job, according to Miriam Hahn. She broke down the essential characteristics and best uses for a few popular whisks, with one of the most widely-used being a balloon whisk. Also called piano whisks, these tools have flexible, well-spaced wires, and a shape that starts narrow at the base and then quickly rounds out, much like a hot air balloon (as the name suggests).

A balloon whisk is best for situations when you want to incorporate as much air as possible into an ingredient or dish, such as for whipped cream, soufflés, meringues, and angel food cake. Combining dry ingredients with a balloon whisk also does a fine job of standing in for sifting, and they also are excellent for gently folding egg whites into a batter, like when making a sponge cake or Ree Drummond's waffles.

Hahn also notes the importance of grabbing a sufficiently large bowl for your ingredients, so that you have plenty of room to move the whisk back and forth. This allows you to incorporate more air faster, and keeps you from making a mess of your kitchen.

A French whisk is another go-to for home cooks and professionals alike. These whisks are straighter and narrower in shape than balloon whisks, and have stiff, closely-spaced wires. These are much better for situations where you need to combine ingredients thoroughly, but do not need an abundance of air in the mixture.

The sturdiness of a French whisk's wires means that they can stand up to thick batters such as cookie dough, a wet dredge for fried chicken, creamed butter, cornbread mix, and muffin batter. The slimmer shape also lends itself to making something like a Mornay or béchamel sauce, a creamy macaroni and cheese base, stove-top custards, or chocolate pudding. You can more readily reach all the edges of the pot as you stir.

French whisks are also what you should reach for when making any kind of emulsion. A vinaigrette, mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, or classic homemade aioli recipe will come together in a flash, thanks to the increased surface area from the close-together wires.

Miriam Hahn also spoke to the best uses for silicone and miniature whisks, which may not be your most-used items, but definitely serve a purpose. A whisk with a silicone coating is what you need if you routinely use non-stick pots and pans. If you use a metal whisk, you run the risk of scratching up that non-stick surface.

A miniature whisk is good for situations when you have a small quantity of ingredients. Hahn noted the importance of choosing an appropriately-sized whisk for the job; if it is too big, you will not be able to easily combine everything together. Use a mini whisk when making a little bit of ranch dipping sauce, a salad dressing for one or two servings, a mug of hot chocolate, or a cornstarch slurry. Anything that you could mix in a liquid measuring cup or a regular soup bowl is probably a good candidate.

If you do a lot of cooking and baking, you might consider investing in more specialized whisking tools. For example, spiral and flat whisks are extra flexible and easily scrape the bottom of a pot, so these are ideal for making a roux or gravy. Conical whisks come to a point that makes it easier to get around the edges of a saucepan, and kettle whisks (which have a spherical end and long handle) are helpful when you have big, deep pots of stock, soups, and stews simmering away.

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