Beat

To beat means to mix something quickly and with force so it becomes smooth and even. You can beat with a wooden spoon, a fork, a whisk or an electric mixer. Beating blends ingredients fully and works in a little air. It is more vigorous than stirring and less gentle than folding.

How to do it

1. Use a bowl big enough that the mix can move without splashing out.
2. Tilt the bowl slightly toward you and hold it steady with your other hand or a damp towel underneath.
3. Move the spoon or whisk in quick circles, lifting through the mix, about two strokes a second by hand.
4. With an electric mixer, start on low so nothing flies out, then raise the speed to medium.
5. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice.

How to tell it is done

• For eggs: yolks and whites are one even color with no streaks of white.
• For a batter: no lumps of flour, and the mix looks glossy and smooth.
• For butter and sugar: see cream. The mix turns pale and fluffy, which takes 3 to 5 minutes with a mixer.

Common mistakes

• Beating a cake or muffin batter after the flour goes in. Long beating develops gluten and makes it tough. Mix only until just combined.
• Beating egg whites with a greasy bowl or a speck of yolk. They will not foam.
• Starting a mixer on high. Flour and liquid end up on the counter.
• Beating cold eggs into creamed butter all at once. The mix looks curdled. Add them one at a time, at room temperature.

In recipes

"Beat the eggs" before adding them means a quick mix with a fork, about 30 seconds. "Beat until smooth" applies to batters and frostings. "Beat well" after each egg in a cake asks for about 30 seconds of mixing per egg. When a recipe wants air whipped into cream or egg whites, it usually says whip instead.