Kitchen Aid Mixers Instructions

KitchenAid mixers have been popular since they were first sold in 1919 and have since expanded their line of products to include a variety of sizes and types. Stand mixers have many benefit such as preparing large batches of cake batter or cookie dough without exerting much effort,and the attachments make sure ingredients are thoroughly mixed. They are some basic tips and instructions that are applicable to all such stand mixers.

Basic Tips to Keep in Mind

The kitchenAid stand mixers warm up during use,making the top of the unit too hot to touch,but this is normal. The mixer may emit a pungent ordor,especially when new,which is common with electric motors. KitchenAid stand mixers mix faster and more thoroughly than most similar products,meaning the mixing time in recipes should be adjusted to avoid overbeating. For example,with cakes,beating time may be half  as long as with other stand mixers. The bowl and beater are designed to provide thorough mixing without frequent scraping although you can scrape the bowl once or twice during mixing,but never scrape the bowl while it’s in use without turning it off first as this could lead to injuries. Always add ingredients close to the side of the bow instead of directly into the moving beater.

Basic Operation

To attach,raise,lower or remove the bowl,be sure the speed control is off and the stand mixer is unplugged. To attache,place the bowl’s lift handle in the down position,fit the bowl supports over the locating pins,press down on the back of the bowl until the pins snaps into the latch,then raise the bowl before mixing. To rasie or lower the bowl,rotate the handle to the appropriate position. Note that the bowl must always be in the raised,locked position when mixing. Low speeds are for stirring,mashing and kneading,medium speeds are for creaming,and the highest speeds are for whipping small amounts of liquid.

Using Attachments

The whisk is used to incorporate air into liquid mixtures like egg whites and cream to make them thicker and creamier. Use this attachment to make meringues,frostings and thick sauces. The paddle is used for mixing thick and heavey cookies and cake batters. The dough hook is for mixing bread dough of all kinds,with the design allowing the sticky dough to pull away the mixing bowl’s sides.

Convection Oven Vs. Microwave Oven

By Joseph Eitel, eHow Contributing Writer Convection Ovens and Microwave ovens do have some similarities,but the way each appliance cooks is very different than the other. For example, convectional microwaves emit microwaves that are capable of passing through glass and plastic containers to cook food. A convection oven,on the other hand ,cooks at lower temperate while utilizing a heated air system that enables users to brown,roast and grill foods in a shorter amount of time,which microwave ovens can not do. Types Essentially,there are five basic types of microwave ovens: over-the-range,convection,buit-in,commercial and countertop microwaves. The type you need depends on your cooking space and cooking requirements. Convection microwaves do differ from regular microwaves,as they are a combination between a standard microwave and a convection oven. This particular appliance enables food to be cooked quickly,yet come out browned or crisped,as in a convection oven. Ther are two basic types of convection ovens: third-element convection ovens and European convection ovens. Both use a convection fan to force hot air around the food. but third-element convection ovens also have an additional heating element near the fan that allows it to blow preheated air. Features Convection ovens should be considered to be nothing more than augmented traditional ovens that circulate heated air using a fan. Food warms faster in a convection oven than in a microwave or traditional oven becuase it features moving air,which strips away any cold air that would otherwise insulate the food. By quickly moving hot air around the food,convection ovens operate at a lower temperature than convectional ovens while still managing to cook food more quickly. Microwaves aren’t really “ovens” in the traditional sense; they’re more like kitchen appliance that heat food. A microwave’s radiation heats water and other polarized molecules whithin the food placed inside the appliance. Microwaves are capabel of thouroughly heating foods without nessarily cooking them,which other appliaces cannot do. Considerations A microwave shouldn’t be considered as an oven replacement; it heats food quickly and effiently,but cannot brown or cook food the way a convection oven could. It also can not reach the temperatures that ovens do. if you purchase a convection oven,keep in mind that it will have about a 50 degree reduction in cooking temperature,compared to a conventional oven. Benefits The most obvious benefit of having a microwave is being able to quickly heat up leftovers or other cold food,but convection ovens aren’t really on the same level. They operate differently and enable users to cook meat and similar food in half the time as traditonal ovens,while also cooking at lower temperatures. A microwave cannot be replaced by a convection oven or vice versa; they each have their own distinct benefits. Health Effects Any form of cooking,whether by microwave or convection oven,will destroy many nutrients in the food being cooked. Microwaves in particular convert vitamin B12 from active to inactive form,which makes approximately 40 percent of the B12 contained in foods unsusable. By Joseph Eitel, eHow Contributing Writer