May/June 2010
Dough Whisk
This handy tool mixes sticky batter or dough without clumping.
How We Tested
When you mix thick cookie batter or sticky bread dough, the biggest problem is getting it to blend instead of merely clump on your mixing tool. Enter the King Arthur Flour Dough Whisk ($14.95), a thick, looping coil on a 15-inch wooden handle that supposedly blends both heavy and delicate batters without clogging.
To see if this tool lived up to its advertising, we made two batches each of our Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cherries and Pecans and pizza dough, one using the tools specified in the recipe and the other with the dough whisk. The stainless steel coil easily cut through the chunky cookie ingredients, forming cohesive dough in half as many strokes as a whisk or wooden spoon. Sticky pizza dough slid right off the coil.
Though no match for a stand mixer, this tool beats any spatula or whisk when it comes to mixing dough by hand. For smaller jobs, there's also a "mini" (11 1/4-inch) version for $12.95.
Already a member? log in
Try All-Access Membership
FREE for 14 Days
INCLUDED IN YOUR TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Every Recipe, Every Rating, Every Video from Every Magazine & Every Episode!
- 25 years of Cook's Illustrated, Cook's Country, and America's Test Kitchen foolproof recipes
- NEW! Over 1,500 recipes from our award-winning cookbooks
- In-depth videos of recipes and cooking techniques
- SAVE all your Favorites for easy access
- Up-to-Date reviews and product buying guides
Dear Home Cook,
If we were new to our websites, we might think, “It’s easy to get free recipes on the Internet. What makes your recipes different?” Well, unlike recipes from blogs, message boards, and other recipe sites, our recipes are exhaustively tested by our team of full-time test cooks until they offer consistently great results. That means fried chicken with a crunchy coating and moist meat, a low-fat recipe makeover for macaroni and cheese that’s as creamy and cheesy as the full-fat version, and fork-tender slow cooker pot roast.
We’re obsessive in our quest to find and foolproof the best of American home cooking, from fuss-free weeknight dinners, to updated, simplified versions of regional specialties, to slow cooker and make ahead meals. Our all access membership is the only place you can find every foolproof recipe, TV episode, and objective ratings and test results for cookware and supermarket ingredients from all 25 years of Cook’s Country, America’s Test Kitchen, and Cook’s Illustrated.
Let us make a simple, no-nonsense offer. Try out all three of our websites FREE for a 14-Day, No-Hassle Trial Offer. We’re pretty confident that your All-Access membership will quickly become invaluable resources for everything from a quick Tuesday supper to your next get-together with family and friends.
Thanks for your consideration,
The Editors of Cook’s Country
The Results
Design Trifecta 360 Knife Block
Admittedly expensive, this handsome block certainly seemed to live up to its billing as “the last knife block you ever have to buy.” The heaviest model in our testing, this block was ultrastable, and its durable bamboo exterior was a breeze to clean. Well-placed medium-strength magnets made it easy to attach all our knives, and a rotating base gave us quick access to them. One tiny quibble: The blade of our 12-inch slicing knife stuck out a little
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.