Folding

Folding is a gentle mixing technique designed to combine ingredients while preserving as much incorporated air as possible. It's essential for light, airy desserts and batters where you've worked to add volume.

When to fold

• Adding whipped egg whites to a batter (soufflés, mousse)
• Incorporating whipped cream into a mixture
• Combining dry ingredients into a delicate batter
• Adding fruit or chocolate chips without deflating
• Mixing macaron batter (macaronage)

The folding technique

1. Add lighter mixture on top — place whipped whites or cream on the heavier base
2. Cut down the center — use a spatula to slice through the middle to the bottom
3. Sweep along the bottom — drag the spatula along the bowl's bottom
4. Fold up and over — bring the bottom mixture up and over the top
5. Rotate the bowl — turn 90° and repeat
6. Continue until just combined — some streaks are okay; overfolding deflates

Tools for folding

• Large flexible spatula — the classic choice
• Balloon whisk — works for some applications
• Your hand — traditional for bread doughs

Common folding mistakes

• Stirring instead of folding — circular motion deflates the mixture
• Adding all at once — sacrifice some lightness by folding 1/3 of whites first to "lighten" the base
• Overfolding — stop when just combined, not perfectly homogeneous
• Using too small a bowl — you need room to fold without spilling

Applications by dish