Baking and making pastries are delicious treats and can be both complicating and rewarding. It is therefore essential to have the right equipment, without those it’s almost impossible to bake at home.
The eleven tools that we selected for our list solve this problem, together they are the perfect basis for culinary experiments. Plus, many of these tools also work great as a gift to the culinary artist in your life.
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Pastry Brush
A pastry brush is a simple cooking utensil designed to spread butter, oil, and similar liquids across the surface of baked goods. While older models often used traditional bristles, most modern brushes are made of silicone for an even spread of food.
Pastry brushes are essential for baking as well as pastry because they make it easier to apply butters, oils, and egg washes in even coats. Plus, you can use the brush for regular cooking when it is time to baste or roast.
Food Scale
If you bake and are trying to create delicate or finicky pastries, then you need a food scale. While many people are accustomed to cup, tablespoon, and teaspoon measurements, they are inaccurate. It is possible to have different quantities of ingredients in a cup, but a scale will never lie.
When you bake, you want to ensure you have the right amount of ingredients. Measuring on a food scale that reads in grams and milligrams ensures you never add too much or too little of a delicate ingredient while in the kitchen.
Sifter
Some baking recipes require sifting dry ingredients like flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and chemical leaveners. If you have never sifted by hand, the process can be time consuming and difficult. You often need to utilize a strainer or whisk, which does not have the same effect. To get well-sifted ingredients ready in time to bake, you need one of these.
Pastry Blender
Pastry blenders can often be mistaken for potato mashers. This blender is a handheld tool with a long metal half-circle with open lines. It is used to break down and blend cold butter with other ingredients to better make pastry dough.
Although standing blenders can be used for this task, they are less skilled and don’t always create the results you want. Plus, they can warm the ingredients, which is detrimental if you are trying to keep the mixture cold. Having a pastry blender can therefore be useful if you want to create a special type of pastry.
Spatulas and Whisks
Spatulas and whisks are some of the baking essentials. They are necessary for breaking down and mixing ingredients like eggs, sugar, and flour. They are also required for beating and transferring ingredients onto cooking sheets.
The majority of bakers require more than one spatula or whisk to handle projects of different sizes. While older models tended to be made of plastic or metal, most modern models incorporate silicone. Silicone is easy to clean and creates less of mess, making these implements ideal for projects of all kinds.
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Similar to spatulas and whisks, it is important to have measuring cups and spoons. While it is preferable to measure ingredients by weight, cups and spoons are used throughout the United States for the majority of baking projects. Depending on how often you bake or make pastries, you will need cups and spooks of different sizes.
Measuring cups and spoons can be made of metal, plastic, glass, or silicone once again. The material doesn’t matter for baking and pastry making, but it can affect overall durability.
Cooling Racks
While it is possible to let cookies and pastries cool on baking sheets, it is not ideal. Prolonged contact with the heated surface can result in crispy or burnt bottoms. Having designated cooling racks makes it easy to allow all types of pastries and desserts to cool evenly.
Rolling Pin
Every good baker needs a rolling pin. Although most knead dough by hand, it is still essential to roll it out to create even and delicious crusts and cookies.
There are not many differences between rolling pins. Most continue to be made of classic wood, but it is also possible to find simple metal or plastic models without difficulty.
Baking Sheets
A baking sheet is an ideal surface for cooking baked goods, pastries, and even other foods. Having raised edges is great to prevent the spread of liquids or having them drip into the oven. Depending on what you like to bake, it is important to have more than one sheet and varying sizes.
While there are many different materials and some sheets advertise themselves as being non-stick, it is important to avoid unwanted plastics and chemicals. Those sheets will not last as long as basic ones and might not create as delicious of pastries.
Oven Thermometer
One thing many chefs don’t realize is that residential gas and electric ovens can vary in temperature. Even if you set it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the overall temperature can vary by up to 20 degrees. Having an oven thermometer that allows you to check the actual temperature and ensure your pastries are in their ideal environment.
Depending on where you live, you might be able to find thermometers that measure both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
Muffin Tin
Do you know the Muffin Man? Did you know you need a muffin tin to bake muffins, as well as most cupcakes. With modern developments, it is possible to get a broad range of tins made from a variety of materials. While some bakers swear by non-stick models, these break down faster and often include unnecessary chemicals and plastics.
If you want a long-lasting muffin tin and baking sheet, consider investing in a basic model made from quality materials like steel or even glass. You should only need one unless you intend to make many muffins and cupcakes.
