Which Whisk is Which?

How to choose the right tool for the task, whether you're making a thick, rich sauce or a light-as-air soufflé.

01.15.08
Julia Child introduced whisks (or whips, as she called them) to American kitchens in the 1960s, and we've been enamored ever since. They're multi-tasking utensils that can aerate, emulsify, deglaze, and mix. Yet anyone who's shopped for a whisk recently knows that they come in an overwhelming array of designs these days. In this exclusive slideshow, Gourmet demystifies the wide world of whisks.

Balloon Whisk

This is the whisk that Julia Child made famous, and it's the one to use for incorporating air into bowls of egg whites or cream— think meringues, soufflés, cake batters, and whipped creams. Use it, too, when a recipe calls for mixing together dry ingredients, like flour, salt, and baking powder, baking soda: It distributes and helps break up any large bits, often eliminating the need for sifting. The balloon should have at least eight sturdy, flexible wires.

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