Often you’ll come across the word folding when you are
reading a baking recipe. If you are new at baking then this term can cause some
confusion. Basically, folding is a method of mixing in order to keep as much
air in the mixture as possible. For example, meringue is a dish that requires a
lot of air, but if you need to add flavor, you must be sure to do so without
removing the air from the mixture. The key to folding a mixture is to go slow
and reach to bottom of the bowl to make sure you are incorporating all of your
ingredients. Follow these instructions in order to correctly fold all of your
ingredients.
First put all of your ingredients to the side of your airy
mixture. If you throw all of the ingredients on top you may push all of the air
out and that would defeat the purpose of the folding.
Now use a big spoon to scoop all around the sides of the
mixture until you get to where you started. When you have reached this point,
slowly lift up your spoon and bring it toward the center.
Next you will use the spoon to cut through the center of the
mixture and repeat the move where you scoop and lift. Cutting through the
middle means that you will get all areas mixed.
This is a slow process, so be patient and continue to repeat
the steps. It may be tempting to start to stir at this point, but doing so will
ruin your mixture. Eventually your mixture will begin to come together and
you’ll be left with a light concoction.
