Hand blenders are some of the most popular pieces of kitchen equipment, and this is largely because they can handle almost as many tasks as table top blenders, but they are a lot less cumbersome and much easier to use. Just as their name suggests, they are made to carry out blending functions, but possibly on a smaller scale than tabletop blenders. So, what can you use a hand blender for?
A hand blender is a regular blender that is small and slender enough to be held with one hand as it performs its function. Also referred to as immersion blenders, they are used to puree cooked food, make soups smoother, make juices, blend fruits and also make smoothies. The main difference between hand blenders and regular blenders is that these are small and held by hand, but they spot a good deal of power.
Below is a breakdown of hand blenders’ uses in your kitchen.
Uses of a Hand Blender
Making milkshakes and smoothies
Just like your regular blender, an immersion blender can be used to make a quick smoothie or milkshake. The fact that it is designed to have a thin shaft makes it easy to fit into a jar, and all you essentially need to do is collect your ingredients into a drinking glass or mason jar and proceed to blend using your immersion blender. Depending on the motor and wattage, you can also make these treats using frozen fruits.
Making pancake Batter
If you do not have time to manually make your batter with your hands, you can use the immersion blender to quickly make pancake batter for your kids. A good number of immersion blenders are sold with a whisk attachment. All you have to do is attach the said whisk, assemble your ingredients in a bowl and whisk away. The fact that an immersion blender is made to work fast means you will have your batter smooth in a couple minutes.
Beating eggs
With the same whisking attachment used to make the pancake batter, you can beat your eggs until they are smooth and creamy. A hand blender will also enable you to beat egg whites to a nice and fluffy consistency with those sharp peaks that are necessary for making your merengue.
Making quick pesto sauce
Once you have assembled your ingredients into a clean bow or jar, you can use an immersion blender to bring your nuts, olive oil, fresh herbs and parmesan cheese together to quickly whip up a delectable jar of pesto sauce.
Pureeing tomatoes into sauce
Once you have cooked up your tomatoes with other ingredients in a sauce pan, you can proceed to make it into a thick and smooth puree in a matter of seconds. The good thing about an immersion blender is that you can actually immerse it into hot pots since the shaft is often times made using stainless steel. Blend up your tomatoes and proceed to store the hot sauce in clean jars.
Making mayonnaise
The secret to a smooth and creamy mayonnaise lies in your ability to whisk as though your life depends on it. To avoid broken mayo, you can use your hand blender to quickly bring the liquid and fat phases together since high speed is essential for optimal emulsification. Since they are fast, hand blenders will have you making smooth mayo every time, and not ever having to worry about split mayo ever again.
Making whipped cream
If you are a regular baker and like to use whipped cream, you no longer have to worry about getting your mixer from high up the top shelf. You hand mixer will work just as efficiently, and nearly faster than the mixer. Just toss your ingredients into a bowl and whisk away, and the whipped cream will be ready in a short while.
Blending hummus
Often times, food processors and table top blenders are used to make humus. When these are not within reach, or when you want to work fast and with minimal fuss, a hand blender will come in good handy. It will blend your hummus for you into the desired consistency within a short duration of time.
Pureeing soup
Getting hot soup from a pot into a blender can be something of an extreme sport, and chances that you are going to get a couple hot drops on you are pretty high. With a hand blender, however, you can blend your soup into a smooth and creamy consistency in the same pot you cooked it. The long shaft will allow you to dip the blender and make the soup smooth without risking getting burnt.
Making apple sauce
When you have cooked your apples in cinnamon and sugar and are now looking to blend it up, you do not have to worry about tossing it into a blender if you have an immersion blender. Just as in soups, dip it into the apples and blend away. The best thing about this method is that you can easily control when to stop so that you can achieve chunky or smooth sauce with ease.
Making cheese sauce
When you are making a cheesy sauce to have with your pasta, chances that it may end up lumpy, especially when the recipe calls for wheat flour, are pretty high. To avoid serving a lumpy sauce, get that immersion blender in to quickly break the chunks ad leave the sauce all smooth and creamy.
Salsa
If you are not a fan of chunky salsa, you can use your hand blender to quickly make smooth salsa in a couple minutes.
Features of a Hand Blender that make it easy to use
Features | Benefit |
|---|---|
Handle | Easy to grasp, usually ergonomic |
Shaft | Slender but firm, easy to dip into narrow containers |
Whisking attachment | Makes whisking eggs and making batter easy and fast |
Small body | Easy to stash away |
Conclusion
Even though it is a small kitchen gadget, a hand blender allows you to accomplish a myriad of tasks with minimal effort and within short periods of time. The fact that they are affordable, and compact but pretty strong make them some of the most convenient tools to have in your kitchen.
