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Combining Ingredients
The next very important step toward success in all cookery, is in combining ingredients and mixtures; and one too often disregarded by the amateur. There are three movements considered in combining ingredients—stirring, beating, and cutting and folding.
Stirring is combining ingredients by circular motions, enlarging and repeating these motions until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. This motion is most commonly used in all cookery, either alone or alternating with beating.
Beating is accomplished by cutting down through ingredient or ingredients with a mixing spoon, or a similar utensil, from top to bottom, turning ingredients over and over, cutting through them until all are thoroughly blended and lightened. By this motion ingredients are not only blended, but air, also, is incorporated which increases the lightness of the mixture.
Cutting and Folding means to combine two mixtures, one made very light by thorough beating or whipping, as heavy cream or whites of eggs. This is a combination of the two former motions. It is best accomplished with a wooden spoon made for this purpose. These repeated vertical downward motions, made with this spoon, is called cutting, and turning the ingredients over and over, allowing the spoon with each turn to come in contact with the bottom of the bowl is called folding. Repeat these motions until the ingredients are thoroughly blended without destroying the air bubbles previously made by beating or whipping one part of the mixture. Briefly—
To stir means blending ingredients.
To beat means lightening the mixture by incorporating air.
To cut and fold is combining two mixtures (one of which has been made light by beating) in such a manner as to prevent the escape or loss of air previously introduced.