Stand mixer

A stand mixer is a heavy electric mixer on a base, with a bowl that locks in place and attachments that turn in it. It mixes, whips and kneads while your hands are free, and it handles stiff doughs and long whipping times better than a hand mixer. Most come with three attachments: a flat beater, a wire whisk and a dough hook.

How to use it

1. Lock the bowl in place and fit the attachment while the mixer is off.
2. Start on the lowest speed every time you add dry ingredients. Flour and sugar fly out at high speed.
3. Raise the speed once the ingredients are combined.
4. Stop now and then and scrape down the bowl and the beater with a spatula.

Attachments:

• Flat beater (paddle). For cake batters, cookie dough, mashed potatoes and to cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, usually 3 to 5 minutes on medium.
• Whisk. To whip cream and egg whites. Egg whites reach stiff peaks in a few minutes on medium-high.
• Dough hook. To knead bread dough on low to medium-low, usually 5 to 10 minutes, until it passes the windowpane test.

Substitutes

A hand mixer works for batters, cream and egg whites, though it takes longer and needs your hands. Bread dough can be kneaded by hand on the counter. A food processor mixes some doughs very quickly.

Common mistakes

• Running the dough hook on high with a stiff dough. It strains the motor. Most makers advise low speed for kneading. Check your manual.
• Overmixing cake batter after the flour goes in. It builds gluten and makes the cake tough. Mix until just combined.
• Using a whisk on heavy batter or cookie dough. The wires bend.
• Making very small batches. One egg white or a little cream barely reaches the whisk. Use a hand whisk or a hand mixer.
• Leaving it to whip cream unattended. It turns to butter in seconds.
• Putting the beater in the dishwasher when the label says not to. Some coated or aluminum beaters darken.

In recipes

"Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle" tells you which attachment to use. "Beat on medium-high" refers to the speed dial. Speeds differ between models, so watch the texture the recipe describes.