Blending
Processing ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth or uniformly combined.
What You're Doing
Processing ingredients in a blender or food processor until they reach a smooth or uniform consistency. Mechanical shearing breaks down fibres and emulsifies liquids for sauces, soups, and purées.
Visual Cues
Look for these signs to know your technique is working:
- Mixture becoming smooth and uniform
- Vortex forming in the blender
- No visible chunks remaining
- Colour becoming even throughout
Why It Works
High-speed blades shear cell walls and break fat into microscopic droplets, creating stable emulsions and smooth textures. The mechanical energy also generates slight heat, which can bloom starches for thickening.
Failure Modes
Avoid these common problems:
- Not enough liquid - blender stalls or creates air pockets
- Over-blending starchy soups - gluey texture
- Lid not secure - hot liquid erupts
- Wrong speed - chunks remain or mixture overheats
Requirements & Guidelines
- Add enough liquid for the blades to catch
- Blend in batches if the vessel is more than two-thirds full
- For hot liquids, vent the lid to release steam
Recipes Using This Technique
Technical Details (CKL)
blend "soup" until smooth