Perhaps you're just getting into baking and have no idea what you need. Maybe you have been baking for a long time and don't know what your next kitchen purchase should be. Either way, the essential baking tools are important to know, have, and to understand!
Of course, if you're just starting out, you may not want to invest all of your money in kitchen tools. Many kitchen tools have easy substitutes, so don't think you have to buy it all.
If you need a place to start, the first items you should buy are measuring tools and mixing bowls. There is no true substitute for measuring tools, because recipes need exact measurements if you want them to come out well. You can however buy different types of measuring tools. I do no use a scale, so recipes that go by weight (pounds, ounces, etc.), I always convert into cups, tablespoons, or teaspoons. A set of measuring cups with measurements for 1 cup, 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup,1/2 cup, and maybe 2/3 cup or 3/4 cup are good for cup measurements. Most recipes in baking can be found with these. As well, 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon measuring devices are good to have around. As for mixing bowls, nothing fancy is needed. Any plastic, ceramic, or metal bowls in varying sizes will do. Many recipes ask for you to combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another, before adding all ingredients together. It is safe to say that a small bowl, a medium bowl or two, and at least one large bowl are good to have. I also recommend buying bowls that are taller, so that there is no batter or mixture spilling over the sides as your mixing your ingredients.
Looking at the picture below, here are more of the essentials:
Starting on the very left is a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Depending on what you plan to bake, will change what the most important pan will be. Baking sheets are used very often in baking (cookies, scones, bread, pizza, granola, etc). Other pans/ tins to buy include: loaf tins, pie pans, muffin tins, bunt pans, and more. Make sure when you are buying these, that you look to see what the highest temperature they can reach in the oven is. It's never a bad idea to go with the strongest more durable tools either. When it comes to the silicone mat, I LOVE mine. Silicone mats are very easy to clean and they are non-stick, so your baked goods come off of them perfectly, once they're out of the oven. Another benefit of the silicone mat is that is a long term, reusable item and it means that you don't have to scrub your'e baking sheet off after use. Although, I highly recommend getting yourself at least one silicone mat, there are many substitutes that can be used in place. Parchment paper is the next best non-stick option for placing on a baking sheet. Typically they work well in keep baked goods in shape, however, they tend to burn and each piece should not be used more than 1 or 2 times. The third best option is non-stick cooking spray. When using this, be careful not to over spray or your baked goods will have greasy bottoms and a bad after taste. Under spray and your baked goods will burn and stick to the pan. The other negative aspect of non-stick cooking spray is that it is held in an aerosol can and contains chemicals. Although this won't hurt you in the small amounts consumed, I can't say it's the best for your body and the less cans we can all use, the better! Get your silicone mats today!
Next in line is the rolling pin! I use a 2 handled wooden rolling pin, but metal or ceramic rolling pins will do the same job. I like the handles for a good grip and to keep my hands from accidentally touching what is being rolled. Rolling pins are useful tools if you plan to make things that need to be rolled out and shaped (cookie cutter cookies, breads, pastry dough, etc). Of course if you don't plan on using one often, something like a cylindrical cup or tin will work just fine for a few rolls.
On the right side of the photo is what looks like a big pot. What is special about that? Well it isn't any old pot, it is a pot known as a dutch over. Dutch ovens are used when making soups and stews, however they are important in the baking world as well. Dutch ovens are used when making breads. A dutch oven is put into a convection or conventional oven. They heat up to high temperatures and keep heat in. Typically, dutch ovens are heated with nothing inside. After they are heated, dough is put inside and the dutch oven with the dough is placed back into an oven. This cooks the bread and helps to give in a thick and hard outside layer. This also helps to give bread a round shape as it expands in the oven. Dutch ovens can be pricey if you plan to purchase ones that can withstand high heat. Large oven safe pots with lids work just as well as dutch ovens and do the exact same job, if you would like a good substitute. This is not to say that large pots aren't on the heftier price side if they're high quality too.
The left most utensil in the photo is a whisk. Whisks are awesome tools to have when dealing with eggs, liquids, and runny batters. Whisks are used for mixing liquids or semi liquids. Whisks stir things quickly and proficiently. Many recipes ask you to whisk your eggs, meaning the eggs are stirred so the egg white and yolk are combined.The idea behind a whisk is that it can quickly get rid or clumps or pieces in batter, making it smooth. As well, whisks help to froth and make peaks in things like meringues and frosting. In most cases a fork can substitute a whisk because its prongs stir quickly and help to rid of clumps in batter. A fork is not usually a good substitute for frothing or making peaks though.
The next two utensils are both considered different types of spatulas. The rubber spatula on the left is used for scraping the sides of bowls and containers, as well as for evening out batter in pans. Rubber spatulas, I find to be very useful, especially with more liquid or sticky batters. You never want to leave any brownie batter behind, right?! The metal spatula is an all over good tool to have. They help in baking for flipping hot baked goods and for transferring hot baked goods off of their pans. I find myself using this spatula at least 2 or 3 times a day, because I use it in cooking as well. I use it to flip meats and vegetables I am cooking over a flame or in the oven. I also use it for lifting items out of hot water. Not all spatulas like this have slits in them, but in many cases I find that to be useful for letting liquid run through it, but keeping solid items on. That is a personal choice if you prefer it to be solid or with slits.
The last item in the picture is a basting brush. I use this for, well you guess it....basting. I use it to marinate meats and vegetables. I also you use it to brush breads with egg wash or butter. This is a good item to have if you plan on bread making or meat marinating. I use a plastic basting brush because I find it easier to clean the bristles, but basting brushes can also be purchased that look more like paint brushes, having bristles made of hair. This is something that is hard to find a good substitute for, but you can always try pouring washes and marinates over foods and using your finger or a paper towel to spread it if needed.
In the picture above is my newer purchase. A stand mixer makes a bakers like 1 MILLION times easier. This Kitchen Aid mixer can be used for so many bakes. Stand mixers allow your hands to be free to prepare ingredients or deal with other kitchen responsibilities while it does all the hard work for you. However, if you want a good arm workout, I suggest sticking with the old bowl and wooden spoon strategy! I believe that stand mixers are useful in combining ingredients much more thoroughly and quickly than can be done by hand. The keep the mess inside the bowl the best. Stand mixers typically come with three different attachments. The left attachment is a bread hook. The bread hook is used for kneading and combing dough. This saves you a lot of time hand kneading dough and it helps to activate and combine yeast into the dough efficiently. The middle attachment is the most used item for me. I used this more making most cookie, pastry, and cake batters. I keep in mixing continually while I add in ingredients, until they are all well combined.The right attachment is a whisk. This makes whisking even easier than a handheld whisk. This is most useful in making stiff and soft peaks in batters and it does a matter better job than whisking by hands. Most people say they couldn't live without a cell phone, but I say I could never live without my Kitchen Aid mixer! However, this is another expensive items. Electric hand mixers work well and come with may attachments if you want a more affordable option. Otherwise, a nice big wooden spoon will do!
The picture above is my last suggestion for a beginning baker buy. A cooling rack is useful in cooling everything from cookies to cake all the way to candies and chocolates. Cooling racks work well because they let air hit the baked goods from above and underneath, unlike cutting boards or counter tops. This helps to cool items quickly and evenly. This also helps bakers to have a place for items to cool, so their baking pans and sheets can be used continually. The best substitute for a cooling rack is a cutting board.
For now, I will leave you with these suggestions and hope that this inspires you to go shop until you drop and to fill your kitchen with all the best items!
Let me know if this was helpful for you!
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