Do you bake by hand or machine?

[kinary]

I saw this stand up mixer at Williams and Sinoma when I was like 16, they had this store front in the mall, and ever since then I've wanted a mixer like that but none of the ones in my price range have lived up to it. Besides, I live with my mom and would have no where to put it. Point is I don't have a mixer. We used to have one when I was younger but I think we lost it in a move. I use this long handles spoon, a wisk or a fork. It just depends on what I'm trying to make. A fork for cookies, wisk for batters and frosting/icing, and long spoon for mixing or cooking.

 

[LetThemEatCake]

I tend to do both, it depends on the mood I'm in really, but my mixer is really old, I do need a new one...those ones at Williams-Sonoma are gorgeous <3 That place is baking tools heaven.

 

[VTEC 9/12/44]

I bake by hand, always. The exercise is good for me, and I feel I get more control over the results.
I love going into the Williams-Sonoma store whenever I go window shopping at that really expensive mall a good distance away from my house. Even if they aren't cooking actual food, they still smell wonderful and I can get a coffee sample anytime I want just by asking them to demonstrate their coffee making machine.

 

[kammy]

It's been a while that i haven't bake by hand however they've been numerous occasions when my mixer wasn't working to my suit so i just get down to work and do my baking the old-fashion way.

 

[doraima3875]

Occasionally I use my hands for any workable dough, or any batter that is easily made like pancakes or crepes. But sometimes it is best to use an electric mixer - I have invested one and really saves my the arm work like making breads, pastries like croissants, cakes and cookies. Before when I was younger - I only had a hand mixer then when I became older an electric mixer was more convenient and easier to make the goods.
Once, I did use a food processor for making pie crust because I didn't have an electric mixer at that time. Boy, this was a breeze to work with.
If I had any more workspace -- then I would knead dough with my breads and other baked goodies that require it.

 

[Shimus]

I use tools as much as the next guy - batters, mixing, whatever have you. Then I do as much as I can with my hands to ensure a "homecooked" taste to the meal in question. If it doesn't require hands to make it actively ( I could use a mixer or a spatula/ladle, something like that ) I won't. But if it calls for it, I'm not scared to get into it.

 

[Winterybella]

Well it's mostly a machine for me. I have not done a bread or anything like that I would have seen my mom doing when I was just a kid. It looked like hard labour back in those days.

I believe when I decide to try out a bread I am going to go to my mom's house so that she can oversee the project. For now I'll continue to work with my machine for the most part. I did a cookie the other day that called on me to use my hand.

 

[Trellum]

I bake by hand, always. The exercise is good for me, and I feel I get more control over the results.
I love going into the Williams-Sonoma store whenever I go window shopping at that really expensive mall a good distance away from my house. Even if they aren't cooking actual food, they still smell wonderful and I can get a coffee sample anytime I want just by asking them to demonstrate their coffee making machine.

I have been doing the very same since i started baking, mostly because we didn't see the need to buy a mixer =D It wasn't in our budget either, but when it was the one we got didn't last... lol. So now all by hand, but there are things I'd like to do (like beating eggs whites to merenge), so for that I need a mixer... I don't have magic hands that can actually beat eggs so long and so fast... nope, I wasn't blessed with that gift, lol.

 

[Trellum]

I was wondering how many people make cakes the old fashioned way with a spoon/hand whisk etc or use a mixer? I use a wooden spoon at the moment for most bakes (very old fashioned I know!), partly because it's the way I was taught as I was growing up, and partly because I have never been able to afford a decent mixer!

For those who use both, does it make any difference to the actual cakes themselves? Or is it just labour saving?

I have been using my own hands for a while, after all I can't use anything else to work the dough for making apple and pecan pies Hehehe! But seriously, a mixer can be so handy, specially if you have such a hard time (like me) beating egg whites to the right consistency (meringue) then a mixer is a must. I don't need to do that often tho, so no real excuse to actually buy one Not with this awful budget of mine...

 

[Winterybella]

In my earlier post I was using a machine for my box cakes and the like. Recently with my "bread" I used my hands and I was quite please. I don't think the recipe called for a machine but even if it did I don't think I would have used a machine. I was actually thinking of how my mom used to look like she was working so very hard and as it turned out with me it was quite easy and enjoyable. In the case of my recent bread I preempted some of the hard work by using prepacked coconut flakes.

 

[Michelle]

I use my Kitchen Aid, love it! I have arthritis in my hands and kneading kills me. Just don't walk away, the mixer can move depending on how much dough is in the bowl. It really does make a nice dough.

 

[RedShoe]

If i'm only making one or two cakes, I'll whisk (i like how fluffy they come out and it feels more homemade that way). If i'm doing a bunch, I go with the hand mixer because it's faster and i don't want to look like a one armed Popeye at the end of the day.

 

[-Daniel-]

I use my mixer for things like butter creams, any kind of whisking, larger recipes, creaming butter & sugar, and breads.

If I'm doing an all in one mix like a Victoria sponge, sometimes it's just easier and faster to use a wooden spoon.

 

[AngieT]

I've just made a Christmas cake for the first time in years. I prefer to use a wooden spoon but I'm finding it gives me blisters on the palm of my hand by the time I've finished creaming the butter & sugar. Does anyone know if you can get a wooden spoon that has a padded handle?

 

[Apocalypso]

I've just made a Christmas cake for the first time in years. I prefer to use a wooden spoon but I'm finding it gives me blisters on the palm of my hand by the time I've finished creaming the butter & sugar. Does anyone know if you can get a wooden spoon that has a padded handle?

You could possibly wrap it with non-grip shelf liner and tape the ends in place. Or wear a rubber glove which has grippy finger and hand surfaces, such as for dishwashing. But as NorCalBaker mentioned in another thread, maybe a wooden spoon isn't the best tool for everything.