13 Essential Baking Tools
These are the 13 essential baking tools that every baker should have. Whether you’re a new baker, or an experienced baker interested in trying different products or brands, this is for you.
These are the essential kitchen tools every baker should have.
1. Oven Thermometer
Oven Thermometer. Unless you have a brand new or regularly calibrated oven, your oven’s temperature is likely inaccurate. When you set your oven to 350F/ 180C, it might not really be 350F/180C inside. It could only be off by a little – 10 degrees or more. Incorrect temperature ruins baked goods and you waste hours spent on the recipe and money spent on ingredients. The inexpensive remedy to this is an oven thermometer. While cheap, they’re irreplaceable in a baker’s kitchen. Place it in your oven so you always know the actual temperature.
2. Hand Mixer
Hand Mixer. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer. If you can afford both, definitely get both. When working with large amounts of dough/batter, or making something that requires several minutes of mixing a stand mixer is key, but for beginner bakers, a hand mixer is perfect.
3. Food Scale
Mechanical Kitchen Scale. In baking, precision is everything and that slight mis-measure could spell baking disaster. A small kitchen scale is, by far, the most used tool in the kitchen. We recommend it to every baker. You can use a good mechanical or digital scale.
4. Silicone Baking Mats
Silicone Baking Mats. Parchment paper is great, but why not bake and cook with something reusable, and something that lays flat on the cookie sheet!! Use them for rolling out cookie dough, pie dough, pizza dough, and more. The bottoms of cookies are always evenly baked and they slide right off the mat.
5. Cookie Scoops
Cookie Scoops. These are not just for perfectly shaped cookies! Use the large size for muffins, cupcakes, pancakes, etc. Use the medium for cookies and use the small for truffles and tiny cookies. They’re infinitely handy.
6. Sifter or Sieve
Hand Sifter / Sieve. Many recipes require sifting dry ingredients like flour, sugar, chemical leaveners, and/or cocoa powder. This step is aerates these ingredients and rids them of any lumps so your recipe turns out perfect! A good sifter is sturdy, durable and stainless steel and is easy to clean (just use soapy water and rinse off). It’s inexpensive and crucial.
7. Cooling Racks
Cooling Racks. Never let your cakes, cupcakes, muffins, etc cool in the pan on the counter. The bottoms’ cooling rate is incredibly slow because no air is getting to that bottom portion of the pan. As for cookies – They must cool on racks, most certainly not on your counter on the baking sheet. Cooling racks are imperative so that the cooking process stops and your baked goods cool evenly. Unless you bake every single day, owning 2 or 3 is perfect.
8. Rolling Pin
Rolling Pin. An obvious must. A marble rolling pin is cooler to touch, which makes it perfect for rolling out pie crust and sugar cookie dough, but a good wooden one will also do the job.
9. Baking Pans and Trays
Baking Pans and Trays. Bakers should have a variety of different size Baking Pans and Trays . Round loose bottom sponge tins, round sponge tins, Springform Pans, Muffin Trays and Flat Trays for rolls and biscuits.
10. Pastry Blender
Pastry Blender. Pie dough, biscuits, scones, and other delicious treats are made with a pastry blender. It’s handy for breaking up cold butter into tiny little bits and pieces among your other ingredients– but not completely incorporating it. These cold butter bits equal flaky dough. A metal pastry cutter keeps your butter cold where other tools (or your hands) might warm it, which is the exact opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish.
11. Spatulas and Whisks
Spatulas and Whisks. Nothing beats spatulas, especially if they are well-made and heavy duty. From stirring and mixing, to scraping the sides of bowls, spreading frosting, cooking, etc. As for whisks, this is a no-brainer! It is recommended to have at least 2 whisks, just make sure they are quality.
12. Mixing Bowls
Mixing Bowls. So many sizes for so many different ingredients! You can’t go wrong with having at least 3 or 4 different size mixing bowls.
13. Measuring Cups, Spoons and Jugs
Measuring Cups and Spoons and Jugs. There are stainless steel and plastic measuring cups and spoons that every baker should have, as wellas a good glass measuring jug for liquids. Also, make sure you have at least 1 liquid measuring cup, but it is preferable to have the 3 pack option quarter cup, half cup and full cup option, it’s convenient to have all different sizes depending on the recipe.
Happy Baking …….
