Experts and beginners will all agree that learning by doing is the best way to expand their baking knowledge. Additionally, since baking requires precision, using the right kitchen accessories and tools can make or break your culinary journey.
Before delving into baking, understanding the vast array of equipment is one of the most crucial steps in creating mouthwatering flavors. Let’s learn more about these baking essentials that you can use.
Must-Have Baking Tools
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Since baking is about accuracy, a complete set of measuring spoons and cups is essential. Invest in a set of both dry and liquid measuring cups, as well as measuring spoons. Frequently using these tools is inevitable, so keep them in an accessible location.
You’ll need a set of metal measuring spoons and metal measuring cups that go from 1 cup to 1/4 cup. Go for a set that includes a 1/2 tablespoon measure when measuring spoons. This will help you create a half batch of your favorite muffins.
While most measuring cups come in sets of one cup, ½ cup, ⅓ cup, and ¼ cup, most measuring spoon sets include a tablespoon, teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, and ¼ teaspoon. For liquid measurements, a 1-cup size will do, but having 2- and 4-cup sizes in your supply can also be helpful.
Digital Scale
Since flour is the main ingredient in baking and mis measuring the ingredient is arguably the worst baking mistake, this may be the most significant item on the list. Purchase a digital scale with a tare feature and the ability to be adjusted to grams. You may zero it out by placing a bowl on it.
Spatulas
Regarding baking, spatulas are essential tools that help with various tasks, such as mixing, scraping, and spreading.
The silicon spatula may even be used on a stovetop and is helpful for batter even-outing and bowl scraping. It is advisable to get at least two spatulas for your kitchen. The first is a typical 9-inch kitchen spatula, valid for nearly all baking and cooking tasks. To thoroughly clean the innards of your balloon whisk or stand Mixer, search for a firmer, skinny spatula.
Another helpful spatula type is the rubber one. This culinary tool is perfect for cleaning the crevices in your jam jar or the remaining scraps of dough or batter. They’re also quite helpful in combining dry and wet materials in one cohesive mixture. Keep in mind that rubber scrapers won’t survive extreme heat as well as silicone ones.
Lastly, one essential tool for icing sheet cakes is an offset spatula. Most offset spatulas feature a handle made of plastic or wood that makes icing and handling simple.
Mixing Bowls
Choosing suitable mixing bowls for baking is essential for efficient and enjoyable baking experiences. Invest in a few 4 to 5-quart mixing bowls (stainless steel) and at least one glass bowl of comparable size instead of purchasing a set of mixing bowls in different sizes.
However, avoid using aluminum as it will react with acidic components and alter the flavor of your dish. Choose bowls with a shape that suits your mixing style. Some prefer bowls with a wide mouth for easy access, while others prefer bowls with a narrow base for stability.
Springform Round Cake Tin Set
You need something to bake the dough in if you want to bake cakes! A springform round cake tin set typically includes multiple cake pans with a springform design. “springform” refers to the removable bottom and sides held together by a spring latch.
Baking experts recommend investing in springform pans for effortless removal and a non-stick coating for quick washing. The springform pan’s depth is substantially greater for both of these desserts than for a regular pie plate, which is advantageous when baking desserts with crusts.
Sheet Pan
A sheet pan is a multipurpose kitchen utensil often used for baking, roasting, and broiling. It is sometimes referred to as a cookie sheet or baking sheet. Usually, it has a rectangular shape that is flat with elevated borders on all sides. The typical baking sheet, often known as a sheet pan, would not pass muster if this was an examination of unusual baking equipment.
For most home bakers, a half-sheet pan (18 by 13 inches) or a three-quarter sheet pan (21 by 15 inches) will suffice. Purchase plenty of these since you’ll frequently use them for baking sheet cakes, cookies, and yeast bread.
Rolling Pin
Everything from pie and pastry crust to cookie dough and biscuits may be flattened and shaped with a rolling pin. A rolling pin is essential for anyone who enjoys baking pies, tarts, or pastries. It aids in evenly rolling out dough and achieving the appropriate thickness. To make rolling easier, choose a rolling pin with smooth, soft grips. A rolling pin can last for decades if you take good care of it.
If you’d rather keep things simple, try a plain wooden pin of cherry or beech. You may choose models with handles on either side for improved ergonomics and simpler rolling. Besides using a rolling pin to stretch out a sheet of cookie dough for shortcrust pastry or Christmas sugar cookies, you can also use it to break apart garlic cloves or soften chicken tenderloins.
Pastry Brush
A pastry brush is helpful in the baking industry when applying different liquids to pastries, bread, and other baked goods—like egg wash, melted butter, or glazes. It enhances flavor, encourages browning, and helps produce a glossy finish.
Natural hair or silicon can be used on a pastry brush. We suggest getting one because the bristles on a natural wooden brush are closer together and readily absorb cream or egg wash when dousing pie crusts. To ensure nothing sticks to the pan when it comes time to remove your baked products, you may also oil the interior of your pans with a pastry brush before baking.
Muffin Tin
Since muffins are one of the easiest baked goods, one of your first purchases should be a 12-cup muffin tin. Plus, you can use it to create cupcakes! Additionally, since you’ll probably have leftover batter after using up those 12 cups, it doesn’t hurt to keep a 6-cup muffin tin in your pantry to ensure you save one or two additional muffins’ worth of batter.
Loaf Pan
You’ll need a loaf pan to make quick bread loaves, such as banana and pumpkin bread. Since these are essentially muffins baked into a loaf, baking times for them are usually longer. When the time comes to bake your first loaf of yeast bread, you can also utilize this.
Whisk
A whisk is a necessary kitchen and baking tool frequently used for beating, mixing, and adding air to various components. Each size and form of whisk is intended for a particular purpose. Indeed, a wire whisk may be used for more than just whisking a few eggs together. Specifically, it’s among the most significant methods for thoroughly combining wet and dry materials.
Stand Mixer
Although an electric stand mixer can be costly, after using it a few times, your baking activities can be chaotic without it. A whip, paddle, and dough hook are among the standard attachments; these are sufficient for creaming butter, mixing batter, kneading dough, whipping egg whites for meringues, and any other task an ambitious baker could like to perform.
Kitchen Scissors
Whenever you are preparing a recipe, kitchen shears are always at the ready. They can be used for various tasks, such as cutting parchment paper to fit a pan, snipping off fresh herbs, and even opening difficult-to-open goods and containers.
Pastry Mat
The best companion of an amateur baker is pastry mats. A silicone baking mat with dimensions is included for easy pie cutting and shaping. Using a non-stick silicon baking mat eliminates the need to continuously add flour to prevent your dough from sticking to the mat.
Pastry Cookie Cutters and Scoop
A set of simple round cutters and a set of fluted round ones are a good place to start for a beginner. At the same time, the possibilities are endless when it comes to seasonal, specialized, and other geometric shapes. These sets come in different sizes and will assist you in cutting out a variety of doughs, including biscuits and cookies, as well as ravioli and empanadas.
Also, it’s safe to anticipate that your cookies will vary in size if a chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for you to scoop out one tablespoon of dough balls. But you’ll want to get a cookie scoop if you want to standardize the sizes that you scoop cookies with. Cookie scoops resemble ice cream scoops, but instead of dropping the dough onto the tray, they feature a tiny mechanical component. As a result, your cookies will remain uniform in size across batches.
Oven Mitts
Nobody enjoys handling a hot skillet right out of the oven. Oven mitts are a piece of essential safety equipment for your hands and arms when holding hot ovens, baking sheets, or other heated cookware. They are often composed of heat-resistant materials like silicone, neoprene, or heat-resistant cloth and are intended to endure extreme temperatures.
Because of this, you should always have at least one pair of oven mitts in your kitchen. Low-conductivity materials are used to construct oven mitts to stop heat from the hot pan from reaching your skin. Although most oven mitts only reach your wrists, you can also buy gloves that cover your forearms.
Dough Scraper
A dough scraper, sometimes called a bench scraper, is only a stainless steel square with a handgrip on one edge. It can scrape superfluous bits off your work area, divide and lift sections, and work with sticky bread doughs. For delicate pastry dough, dough scrapers are handy for lifting and transferring the dough to a pie pan without breaking.
Wooden Spoons
Wooden spoons have a lower risk of scratching or damaging the surface of your mixing bowls, pots, and pans. This is particularly important when working with delicate or non-stick coatings. Wooden spoons also come in various shapes and sizes, making them versatile for baking tasks. They can be used for stirring, mixing, folding, and scraping. That is the function of the wooden spoon. In addition to being more comfortable to hold in your hand than metal spoons, wooden spoons won’t react with acidic chemicals or scratch your dishes or pans.
Apron
Nobody enjoys having flour all over their body and in the kitchen. Aprons come in various styles and materials, but the most common ones for baking are typically made of durable and easy-to-clean fabrics such as cotton or polyester. Some aprons also have pockets, providing a convenient place to store small tools or a kitchen towel while you work. A few aprons have cool pockets and places to hold your recipe cards, phone, or kitchen thermometer.
Fine-Mesh Sieve
A sieve can be utilized in a multitude of ways. It’s most helpful to bakers when sieving dry ingredients or dusting icing sugar on a pan of brownies or cookies after they’re done. This baking utensil is handy for straining wet ingredients, such as quinoa, which is small and would not fit through a standard colander, and for removing seeds from raspberry sauces.
Chef’s Knife
While a chef’s knife is typically associated with savory cooking, it can be a valuable tool in baking. Choose this knife if you have one in your entire kitchen. Almost any ingredient a recipe calls for can be chopped, diced, sliced, and minced using a chef’s knife. Many baking recipes, especially for pastries and pie crusts, require cold butter to be cut into the flour. A chef’s knife is excellent for this task, allowing you to create the right consistency for flaky and tender baked goods.
Parchment Paper
Start using parchment paper whenever you feel like baking. Before you bake, spread a sheet over your pan to help clean up and stop your baked items from adhering to the pan. Baking enthusiasts should consider going green by purchasing a reusable silicone baking surface.
Round Cake Pans
You should purchase two 8-inch circular cake pans for baking cakes. Most cake recipes call for two layers, which can be 8 or 9 inches long. If you don’t have two, you won’t be able to bake both layers at once. To ensure that your cakes have enough area to rise, use pans with two-inch-high sides of sturdy aluminum.
Square Baking Pan
Square baking pans can be used for various recipes, including cakes, brownies, bars, lasagnas, casseroles, and more. Their shape makes them suitable for both sweet and savory dishes. It’s only sometimes necessary to make a large pan of brownies; a square baking pan will be needed if you only make a small quantity.
The square shape of the pan helps distribute heat evenly, ensuring that your baked goods cook uniformly. This is important for achieving the desired texture and doneness in your recipes.
Set of Pastry Tips
If you enjoy baking’s artistic aspects, you understand the value of always having a reliable source of baking advice close at hand. A precise, tidy, and enjoyable piping job may transform your cake’s appearance from beginner to expert. Before adding the icing, insert your decorating tips into the pastry bag’s bottom.
Conclusion
Baking calls for accuracy and focus on detail. It’s a science that requires precise timing, accurate measurements, and the proper ratio of ingredients. Whether you are a home cook or a professional baker, having the appropriate tools can improve the quality of your baked goods. Buying top-notch tools will guarantee consistent and delectable results and make baking fun. So gather these tools for your kitchen and start experimenting with baking!