Baking utensil - name?!

Ephemera

What did your Mum use hers for then???

PasturesNew

I don't ever make pastry because I don't like getting it all stuck on my hands, and under my fingernails. I hate the mess etc.

I have recently bought a breadmaker and was finding it hard with the kneading bit (I use the BM only to get to the dough stage) - and was experimenting with recipes to find the least gunky mix even.

I've never heard of a pastry blender. This looks good. Is it ideal for crumbles? I'd love a crumble, just could never face all that never-ending rubbing.

If so, I bet my mum would like one too. She used to make crumbles years ago, but now she's over 80 and her wrists/hands wouldn't be good enough to make a crumble topping.

misspenny

i just melt the butter a little makes rubbing it in a sinch and i dont think it has ever to my knowledge effected a recipie

shimmigirl

loads on ebay:

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=pastry+blender

Ephemera

PasturesNew wrote: »

I don't ever make pastry because I don't like getting it all stuck on my hands, and under my fingernails. I hate the mess etc.

I have recently bought a breadmaker and was finding it hard with the kneading bit (I use the BM only to get to the dough stage) - and was experimenting with recipes to find the least gunky mix even.

I've never heard of a pastry blender. This looks good. Is it ideal for crumbles? I'd love a crumble, just could never face all that never-ending rubbing.

If so, I bet my mum would like one too. She used to make crumbles years ago, but now she's over 80 and her wrists/hands wouldn't be good enough to make a crumble topping.

I would think it's ideal for crumbles. We use our trusty Kenwood Chef though... the pastry blender is for rubbing fat into flour, pretty much what a crumble mix is, just with sugar too.

sweetserendipity

Ephemera wrote: »

What did your Mum use hers for then???

I'm pretty sure she used it for making crumble & scones, that's why I thought I would try & find one myself, I thought that's what it was for! Having said that she did used to make pastry as well so may have used it for that too. However, mine will be just for making crumbles, scones & rock cakes as I don't like pastry!:j

oystercatcher

I think I want one of those, would like to make crumbles and pastry etc but am put off by the thought of messy rubbing in. In fact I have a freezer drawer full of fruit for crumbles that just haven't materialised due to my lack of activity. Need a kick up the b*m really

Anyone seen one in a 'real' shop rather than on-line? I don't see the point in paying postage if I can pick one up from Mr T's or similar.
I shall keep my eyes open .

Oystercatcher

sweetserendipity

I've been looking in 'real' shops for a while & haven't been able to find one, hence my post here. I knew what I was looking for but I didn't know what it was called so couldn't even ask in shops!:rotfl: Anyway, I've looked in my local Mr T & they didn't have one, also Matalan, Home Bargains, just about anywhere that sells baking stuff really! Someone suggested trying a charity shop so will be trying there. Otherwise I will wait until I'm ordering other stuff (for Christmas!) and order one from Amazon.

newlywed

We used to have them at school in cooking lessons. I never liked them then, preferring the messy approach.... but recently got fed up of making cobbler and ending up with the dough stuck to my hands and over the taps when I tried to wash my hands, so bought one online.

I love it. I don't make pastry at all but whenever a recipe says "rub fat into flour" out comes the pastry blender

I've only seen them online too.

angelnikki

sweetserendipity wrote: »

I've been looking in 'real' shops for a while & haven't been able to find one, hence my post here. I knew what I was looking for but I didn't know what it was called so couldn't even ask in shops!:rotfl: Anyway, I've looked in my local Mr T & they didn't have one, also Matalan, Home Bargains, just about anywhere that sells baking stuff really! Someone suggested trying a charity shop so will be trying there. Otherwise I will wait until I'm ordering other stuff (for Christmas!) and order one from Amazon.

They do them in M&S for £5 (most of their kitchen utensils are 3 for 2 so would work out cheaper if you needed other things too)

Nikki x