Removing Raspberry Seeds

[mignardise]

Cuisinart and a strainer and a good right arm.

Read that there was an attachment that came w/ the Cuisinart long time ago. I think I read it from RLB, but, I think they no longer make it.

[JeanneCake]

That's true about the Cuisinart strainer; I got one on eBay years ago and it's great. And since they don't make it anymore, I take especially good care of it. It works like a charm. But it's easier to open a jar of Perfect Puree.....

[mostlylana]

I recently spent a whole day making seedless raspberry puree. I thought I had the answer this year... I purchased an Omega homogenizing juicer and it worked like a charm until the clogging started. The whole process was sooooooooooo slow. On the up side, I had the driest seeds I have ever seen. But a whole day on 2 flats - not OK.

I went online in search of other solutions. One thread mentioned that the KitchenAid Food Mill attachment was quick and efficient and left nothing but clean red seeds. So I do a search for the KitchenAid Food Mill attachment and it doesn't seem to exist! Does anyone know anything about this? There is a fruit and veggie strainer attachment but there are very mixed reviews about this for removing raspberry seeds. I did find 1 thread with a supposed photo of the 'Kitchenaid Food Mill attachment' and it actually looked like a food mill - not a strainer. So does anyone know if this attachment exists, or did it once exist?

[Peter the eater]

Don't know about the Kitchen Aid attachment, but I'm imagining cheesecloth inside a salad spinner or some other centrifugal solution.

[lesliec]

Similar to Peter's suggestion but much more fun: a Superbag.

These are wonderful things made of fine plastic (I use the term generically) mesh. Simply put your raw material inside and squeeze. 'Getting caught red-handed' will take on a whole new meaning! I've used them for blackcurrants (to make cassis); with a bit of effort you end up with lots of juice outside the bag and quite dry pulp inside. You can also (I haven't tried this) simply suspend a bag filled with fruit over a bowl and let gravity do at least some of the work.

Not sure where in Canada you might find one, but I've had them from Le Sanctuaire in the past. The 250 micron mesh should be fine for what you're doing.

[Edward J]

I have used a food mill attachment for the Hobart mixer with great success.

This is an attachment that fits over the mixing bowl and is basically a drum sieve with various grids of fine and coarse mesh. Next comes the rollers. In place of a dough hook or a paddle, this is just a shaft with two nylon rollers that push what ever it is you want though the mesh and it drops down into the bowl. This attachment is the cat's meow for purees, puree soups, bisques, and the like.

Included with this attachment is another device that you can exchange for the nylon rollers, it resembles the rollers but has instead two brushes. And it is this device tht is ideal for removing seeds from jams.

Altough Hobart makes this attachment for it's 30 and 40 qt mixers, it is not a popular attachment, and you find it only in kitchens with very knowledgable Chefs.

[nickrey]

Sounds a bit like a motorised version of a mouli legumes. With smaller holes in the insert, you should be able to separate out the seeds.

[KarenDW]

I've had success with both the food mill (with fine mesh), and with using nylon stockings/pantyhose.

Rinse the hosiery to remove excess dye or sizing.

For clear juice, fill the hose with fruit, suspend from a cupboard door, and allow to drip.

For a seedless puree, squeeze the fruit through the hosiery.

I usually wear rubber gloves to cut down on hand-staining.

[mostlylana]

Interesting suggestions. Edward, it sounds like your Hobart mixer has the attachment I want for my KitchenAid. And nickrey, your photo of the mouli legumes is exactly what it looks like.

I'm looking for something efficient that can be used commercially. Don't want anything that requires too much effort. (although that superbag sounds really cool!)

Here's something else I've found - it's called a Villaware. One person mentions that you can do a gallon of berries in 10 min. with it. I like!! And you can buy a motor attachment for it at a reasonable price. What's confusing is that it is available under different names - Roma, Prago Trade, Weston, Back to Basics... Are these different name brands or all the same machine?? It's made for tomatoes but you can purchase a separate berry screen. Does anyone have experience with one of these machines?

Here's an amazon link to the Roma: http://www.amazon.com/Weston-07-0801-Roma-Food-Strainer/dp/B0000BYDR1/ref=pd_sim_k_1

[JeanneCake]

I use the Cuisinart Power Strainer - which is no longer manufactured - which is an attachment on the regular food processor. But you might be able to find one on eBay or something like that; that's how I found mine. It works beautifully to remove all the seeds. Perhaps there is something similar for a robot coupe if you have one of those in your kitchen already?

[Kerry Beal]

I use the Cuisinart Power Strainer - which is no longer manufactured - which is an attachment on the regular food processor. But you might be able to find one on eBay or something like that; that's how I found mine. It works beautifully to remove all the seeds. Perhaps there is something similar for a robot coupe if you have one of those in your kitchen already?

I've got one of those lying around in my 'to be sold on e-bay when I get around to it' pile. I use a roesle food mill with a fine blade to get seeds out - and I do have a kitchen aid food mill attachment. It's the grinder with an additional plate as I recall.

[Edward J]

Mostlylana, the picture you show is what I would call a tomato or food strainer. There is a Kitchenaid attachment that is very similiar to this, but you need the meat grinder attachment to attach it to.

I'm guessing some of the food mills would do a pretty good job, and probably alot cheaper too.

[mostlylana]

I've got one of those lying around in my 'to be sold on e-bay when I get around to it' pile. I use a roesle food mill with a fine blade to get seeds out - and I do have a kitchen aid food mill attachment. It's the grinder with an additional plate as I recall.

Do we all have a 'to be sold on ebay when I get around to it pile'?! Mine's getting pretty big...

Kerry, maybe that's what some people call the food mill attachment... the grinder with the fruit/veg strainer? Maybe that's why I couldn't find anything for an actual food mill attachment (that looks like the photo nickrey posted). Hmmmmm...

I'm going to look into the Cuisinart solution. Maybe you'll have 1 less thing in your 'to be sold on ebay pile'.

Yes Edward, the Roma is a tomato strainer but the berry attachment is actually finer than the Kitchenaid fruit/veg. strainer so it will remove all the seeds.

Thanks for the input everyone, I'll make a decision as to my solution for next year. I can't wait to get it right!

[pastrygirl]

I puree my berries in a blender then push the puree through a chinoise with a ladle. I cook my berries with a bit of sugar until they fall apart, and puree and strain while still warm.

[Kerry Beal]

I've got one of those lying around in my 'to be sold on e-bay when I get around to it' pile. I use a roesle food mill with a fine blade to get seeds out - and I do have a kitchen aid food mill attachment. It's the grinder with an additional plate as I recall.

Do we all have a 'to be sold on ebay when I get around to it pile'?! Mine's getting pretty big...

Kerry, maybe that's what some people call the food mill attachment... the grinder with the fruit/veg strainer? Maybe that's why I couldn't find anything for an actual food mill attachment (that looks like the photo nickrey posted). Hmmmmm...

I'm going to look into the Cuisinart solution. Maybe you'll have 1 less thing in your 'to be sold on ebay pile'.

Yes Edward, the Roma is a tomato strainer but the berry attachment is actually finer than the Kitchenaid fruit/veg. strainer so it will remove all the seeds.

Thanks for the input everyone, I'll make a decision as to my solution for next year. I can't wait to get it right!

It's yours if you want it!

[Catherine Iino]

I love raspberry puree, and forcing it through a strainer is one of the tasks I hate the most. Rose Levy Beranbaum raves about the Cuisinart power strainer in The Cake Bible, but Cuisinart does not sell it any more. So if Mostlylana doesn't want yours, Kerry, I'll bid! (But why don't you like it?) I say we all petition Cuisinart to bring back the product.

[Kerry Beal]

I love raspberry puree, and forcing it through a strainer is one of the tasks I hate the most. Rose Levy Beranbaum raves about the Cuisinart power strainer in The Cake Bible, but Cuisinart does not sell it any more. So if Mostlylana doesn't want yours, Kerry, I'll bid! (But why don't you like it?) I say we all petition Cuisinart to bring back the product.

Catherine - it will be winging it's way to her later today.

I'm happy with my Roesle mill with the fine blade though.

One of the most effective strainers for raspberry puree I've seen in action is the Champion juicer I picked up in a thrift store and took down to Patris - it was amazing!

[Catherine Iino]

Williams-Sonoma just sent out an email advertising the magimix food processor, with a photo of a juicer smoothie accessory full of raspberries. It's hard to tell, but it looks like it might do the job. The Magimix is not cheap, but I'm considering it, since I'm sick of the pushers or covers or other parts of my Cuisinarts cracking after a year or so.