Every serious baker knows that the way in which one mixes the ingredients of a baked good is almost as important as the quality of the ingredients used. This is why it is so frustrating when you use a stand mixer, and there are bits of dry ingredients that don't get incorporated into cake batter or cookie dough. If this is a common problem, you should definitely take a look at the BeaterBlade+ from New Metro Design, which makes whipping up your favorite goodies quick and efficient.
The BeaterBlade+ promises not only to scrape the dimple at the bottom of your mixing bowl, but also to eliminate unincorporated flour. It also assures bakers that it will cut mixing time by 50% compared to a typical flat beater. The unique, patented “wing design” of the BeaterBlade+ is compared to a windshield wiper blade that continuously scrapes the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl. Does it sound too good to be true? That's what I thought, so I wanted to give the BeaterBlade+ a try in my kitchen.
I tested a BeaterBlade+ KA-5L on my KitchenAid 5-quart bowl-lift mixer. The BeaterBlade+ looks like a flat beater with a thin strip of soft rubber outlining the edges. At first inspection, I was a little worried. The BeaterBlade+ is made of plastic, so I was a somewhat concerned about its durability. If you are used to working with heavy-duty stand mixers, this is a change from the stainless steel and enamel coated metal beaters to which you would be accustomed. You shouldn't fret, because the BeaterBlade+ does what it promises. However, you should keep in mind that it is not recommended for bread dough or excessively thick batters.
While it was tempting to dive right into mixing, it is very important to adjust your mixing bowl's height to work best with the BeaterBlade+. If the bowl is too high, the blade will be working your mixer's motor too hard; if it's too low, it won't be able to perform its scraping action. I first tested the BeaterBlade+ with a chocolate chip cookie dough recipe that I had made dozens of times. I found the cookies less tender as they usually are with my flat beater. Then it occurred to me that I forgot to take into consideration another perk of the BeaterBlade+ – its efficiency in mixing. I had taken such care in adjusting the height of my mixing bowl to accommodate the design of the BeaterBlade+. However, I forgot to adjust the mixing time of my cookie recipe. Once I did so, I was impressed by the outcome and how the BeaterBlade+ incorporated the ingredients much quicker than a traditional beater.
You can really appreciate this efficiency when making cheesecake. The cream cheese was mixed smoothe and completely lump-free in a fraction of the time it takes with my conventional beaters. There was a small amount of build-up on the blade when using softened solid ingredients – approximately 1 tablespoon of cream cheese with the cheese cake and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of butter with cookie recipes – but not enough that would affect the quality of the recipe. Cake and muffin batter are mixed with ease, but be mindful not to over mix the batter.
The creators of BeaterBlade+ suggest that the blade itself can replace a traditional spatula for scrapping. Using the blade as a scraper felt a little awkward to me. However, I am a baker who likes to get every last bit of batter from my bowl, so I don't see myself relinquishing my traditional spatula any time soon.
There's a BeaterBlade+ that can fit just about any stand mixer out there – whether it's tilt-head or bowl-lift – including KitchenAid, Cuisinart, Viking and DeLonghi. Anyone who likes using a stand mixer will definitely appreciate this beater. The housewares industry has taken notice to the ingenuity of BeaterBlade+. In 2008, The Retail Advisory Board of the Gourmet Housewares Show selected The BeaterBlade+ as the overall winner of their top five favorite products. It's definitely one of my favorites.
BeaterBlade+ is reasonably priced and the models range from approximately $25.00 for a 5-quart mixer up to approximately $40.00 for a 7-quart mixer. For more information on BeaterBlade+ and to find a store near you visit www.beaterblade.com.
