What does a pastry blender do?

A pastry blender is specifically designed to combine fat, such as butter or shortening, with flour to create a cohesive mixture that is essential for making pastries, pie crusts, and biscuits. It features a handle with several metal wires or blades that allow for effective cutting. When using a pastry blender, the user presses the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This technique is crucial because it helps to distribute the fat evenly throughout the flour, contributing to the flakiness and texture of the finished pastry.

The other options represent different kitchen tools or functions that do not align with the primary purpose of a pastry blender. For instance, measuring liquid ingredients is typically done with measuring cups or liquid measuring tools, separating solid materials from liquids is a function of a strainer or sieve, and spreading frosting is usually accomplished with a spatula or a cake knife. Each of these tasks requires different tools that serve specific purposes, highlighting the unique role of the pastry blender in pastry preparation.