Cutting through solid fats like butter can be difficult and messes the dough in the process.
Is there a reliable way?
Well, with a pastry blender, you can now cut through your solid fats faster and in a more suitable way. This post talks about what a blender is and what makes it stand out.
What is a pastry blender used for?
A pastry blender is a hand tool that can be used to cut through butter or any other fat needed while making the dough. Knowing how to use a pastry blender comes with knowing how to bake and does not require so much training.
You can use a pastry blender in the kitchen to do all the cutting that your hand would typically do when trying to form a perfect dough. With the blades or wires, it helps achieve the right texture of dough that makes the whole process successful in the long run.
What type of tool is a pastry blender?
The pastry blender is essentially a utensil that works in the kitchen that helps in mixing things. When making pastry, the blender helps you cut through the hardness of fat into flour to make pastries easier.
As a tool used in making pastries, it comes with narrowly designed wires or strips made of metal. These strips or wires are then attached to a handle and work by being pressed down against the mixture. This process is described as cutting in as it helps in breaking through layers.
Once the pastry blender breaks into these fats used in making a pastry, it leaves them in smaller useable bits. The fat is then further blended into the floor with water that binds the pastry into an actual dough.
The pastry blender can be described as a hand tool that helps cut through the fat with these considerations. The tool also serves as a blender that merges several other ingredients to form a dough to create an actual pastry.
What is the difference between a pastry cutter and a blender?
A pastry cutter and a blender are two separate tools that work in the kitchen. They both serve several functions and cannot be used in place for the other in any instance. To get a glimpse of their differences, here is an explanation of the tools:
What does a pastry cutter do?
A pastry cutter is a tool that serves as a kitchen utensil that allows you to cut through fat used in making pastry. They cut them into tiny bits and merges them with the flour to create the dough. A very significant feature that the pastry cutter has is that they can be easily substituted for other things that are always present in the kitchen.
When there is no pastry cutter, you could try using a cheese grater, butter knives, fork, food processor, or even your hands. All of this is highly capable of producing the same result that a pastry cutter would. So, in a typical kitchen, it is highly impossible not to have at least one of the utensils on standby.
However, if you are one that bakes frequently, then you should get a pastry cutter handy. It would save you some baking time and make your process more efficient.
What does a blender do?
While the pastry cutter uses hand motion to get into ingredients, this uses something more mechanical. A Blender comes with a bowl where things to be churned are poured into and then smoothened.
It has a blade that is electrically powered to move in a rotary motion while cutting through things in its way. They are suitable to make things like smoothies, milkshakes, and even sometimes ice cream.
Pastry Cutter Vs. Blender
With the information above, it is now clear that both the pastry cutter and the blender are separate equipment that goes in the kitchen. Here are some of their differences highlighted in a table.
| Pastry Cutter | Blender | |
| Operation | Hand tool | Uses electricity. |
| Blades | Dulled | Sharpened. |
| Uses | Making dough. | Mixing ingredients to smoothness. |
| Alternative | Knives, fork, food processor, hand, etc. | Food processor. |
Here are some of the differences that are easily noticeable between the pastry cutter and a blender. But there are more distinctive features that you could find here about the pastry cutter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the cost of a pastry blender?
Pastry blenders are considerably low-cost equipment that you could easily purchase. They cost between eight dollars and could get to thirteen dollars, but they don’t get excessively expensive. As a pastry mixer hand tool, it does not need an elaborate budget.
What is a pastry blender attachment?
A pastry blender attachment is used alongside a pastry blender to make a dough. Some come with a dough scraper, and they are attachments that aid the pastry blender.
How can a pastry blender be maintained?
Even though the pastry blender is a simple tool used in the kitchen, it still has to be maintained. With proper maintenance, the blades remain free from rust, and the wires are sturdy for as long as they can be.
To maintain the pastry blender, you can easily clean out the residue after each use. Also, store up in areas that are free from water. This would keep the wooden handle from getting spoilt and reduce the metal parts’ risk of getting rusted as well.
Summary
Pastry Blenders are essential parts of achieving the right texture of dough. It works by cutting through butter or other solid fats into shorter bits. Here we have been able to what is a pastry blender and what makes it stand out from a blender.
