If you love to bake, it's important for you to have the right baking equipment. If you don't already own a quality set of baking tools, then this article will help point you in the right direction. This blog will help you identify the suitable tools as we have mapped baking tools with names and pictures. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a project and realizing that you don't have the right tool for the job.
Baking Tools
1. Measuring Cups (Wet and Dry) and Spoons
A full set of measuring cups and spoons is a must. A dry measuring cup and wet measuring cup are the only tools you'll need to accurately measure all ingredients. When you take up baking professionally, it's best to go for professional baking tools.
Dry Measuring Cup
Dry measuring cups are used to measure ingredients that are solid, like flour, sugar, oatmeal, or baking powder. They're made from plastic, metal, or porcelain and come in a set of four sizes: 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup. With these four sizes, you can measure dry ingredients for any recipe.
Wet Measuring Cup
A wet measuring cup is used to measure the amount of liquid needed for a recipe. Liquid measuring cups come in various sizes, materials, and forms. A traditional liquid measuring cup has ⅓ and ¼ cup marks as well as ml and ounces.
Measuring spoons
Measuring spoons are all-purpose measuring tools. They can be used to measure both wet and dry ingredients unless they have small measures marked on them.
2. Wooden Spoon
A wooden spoon is generally used in those recipes that require fast and forceful mixing and stirring, especially with thick, solid, or heavy mixtures. These mixtures are the ones that are quite vigorous and don't mind some strong mixing.
3. Spatula
A spatula is used for frosting cakes and to spread toppings or mixtures smoothly over baked goods, such as cakes and pies. It is also used to serve slices of cake, pieces of pie, or bars. There are three different types of spatulas:
Spreaders
A spreader spatula is a long, narrow, flexible blade tool with a rounded head. This tool can be used to spread soft toppings like frosting on cakes. A spreader can also be classified as two different kinds of spatulas, which are offset spatulas and straight or flat spreaders. An offset spatula is also called a frosting spatula. Thus they can also be called icing spatulas.
Flipper Spatula or Turners
Flippers usually have a long handle and a blade with a wide thin surface and are used to lift and flip food items during cooking and baking.
Scraper Spatulas
A kitchen scraper is a tool that has a rectangular head and a rubber tip and is used for cleaning sticky dough from flat surfaces.
4. Pastry Brush
A pastry brush, also known as a basting brush, is usually made with a wood or plastic handle and natural or silicone bristles. They can be used to spread glaze, egg wash on pie dough, puff pastry, or biscuits, or oil on the crust or surface of the food while baking. It can also be used to brush a sweet glaze or simple syrup on a cake. It saves you from creating a mess and helps in professional cake making & decorating.
5. Whisk
A whisk is a tool that can be used to mix ingredients smoothly. These are commonly used to whip egg whites into a firm foam, to whip cream into whipped cream, or creaming butter & more.
6. Rolling Pin
A rolling pin is a cylindrical-shaped tool used to evenly flatten everything from pie and pastry doughs to cookie and pasta doughs.
7. Sifter
A sifter is a tool used to add air to dry ingredients in order to create lighter and more uniform textures. This can be used in baking by mixing the dry ingredient with a liquid, such as milk, and then using the sifter to mix it into a batter, dough, or other mixture.
8. Oven Thermometer
An oven thermometer is used to help you bake better because it lets you know when to take your food out of the oven and if it's cooked to the right temperature. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is unnecessary equipment. It's one of the most important baking tools and equipment.
9. Weighing Scale
Many food recipes need an accurate measurement of the ingredients. A weighing scale helps in maintaining the ratio of different ingredients used in making the food item.
10. Baking Trays
A baking tray, also known as a sheet pan or baking sheet, is a flat, rectangular metal pan which used in an oven. It is used to make batter or dough that are thick enough to stand on their own, such as cookies, bread, biscuits, and pastries. Baking sheets are also referred to as cookie sheets.
11. Baking Pans and Tins
Round Pans
Round cake pans are often made from aluminum and are used to make layer cakes and are generally found in 8 or 9-inch diameters and are 1 and 1/2 inches in depth. They are also known as cake pans and are versatile enough to be used to make a variety of baked goods, from brownies to cheesecakes.
Square and Rectangular Pans
You can bake brownies, bars, and cakes in square or rectangular pans. These pans are fairly interchangeable, and you only really need one of them to do the job.
Bundt and Tube Pans
A tube pan is a round baking pan that contains a hollow tube in its center. The tube conducts heat, which helps cakes bake faster, and it also helps them to release more easily from the pan. A Bundt pan is a type of tube pan.
Loaf Pans
A loaf pan is also called a bread pan. It is a kitchen utensil in the form of a container in which bread is baked. Its function is to shape bread while it is rising during baking.
Muffin Tins
A type of pan used for baking muffins. The pan typically will have 6 or 12 individual round pockets or holders connected to the tin and formed in the shape of a muffin.
12. Cooling racks
Cooling racks are wire racks that are used for placing baked food onto a surface that will make the food cool on all sides after being baked.
13. Mixing bowls
Round bowls of different sizes are used for mixing food ingredients while preparing recipes. They are made of plastic, ceramic, glass, copper, and stainless steel. The smallest size- bowls are commonly used for mixing small quantities or beating eggs. Larger bowls are used to prepare medium amounts of sauces or for mixing dried ingredients. The larger bowls are traditionally used to mix batters, beat large volumes of eggs, prepare whipping cream, or mix salads and dressings.
14. Oven Glove
An oven glove which is also known as an oven mitt, is used to protect our hands from heat. These gloves are useful for handling hot pots and pans, as well as other kitchen items that may have become too hot, such as an oven door.
15. Chef’s Knife
A chef's knife is a multi-purpose knife which is used to perform many different kitchen tasks. It can be used for mincing, slicing, and chopping vegetables, and slicing meat.
16. Paring Knife
The paring knife is used for peeling fruits and vegetables and detailed cutting, such as cutting shapes into the dough and scoring designs and patterns on surfaces of food.
17. Serrated Bread-Knife
Bread knives are used for cutting bread, and they are one of many kitchen knives used by cooks. The serrated blades of bread knives are able to cut soft bread without crushing it.
18. Parchment Paper / Baking Paper
Baking paper is also known as bakery paper or parchment paper. It is a grease-proof paper that is used in baking as it provides a heat-resistant, non-stick surface to bake on.
19. Cookie Cutters
A cookie-cutter is a tool that is used to cut designs into the dough. The most popular use of a cookie-cutter is to make Christmas cookies, although they can be used for other holiday or seasonal shapes. They are usually made of metal or plastic, with the cutting edge on one side and the handle on the other side.
20. Bench Scraper/Dough Cutter
A bench scraper is also called a bench knife and a dough scraper. It is used for scraping loose flour from the baker's counter. And if you're making a huge batch of dough, a bench scraper can help you lift that mound of dough and shift it around your countertop.
21. Cake Board
A cake board is a thick piece of material designed to support cakes or even cupcakes to improve your presentation and make transportation easier.
22. Probe Thermometer
A probe thermometer is a thermometer that has a pointy metal stem that can be inserted into food to check internal food temperatures when you cook, reheat or cool them.
23. Muffin / Cupcake Liners
Muffin Cupcake liners are used to give your cupcakes or muffins the same shape. As the cupcake or muffin bakes, the liner helps the cake to keep its shape.
24. Baking Rings
The ring is used by bakers to shape, bake, and refrigerate a perfectly circular cake. It can also be used to layer wet ingredients or make an individual cake.
25. Silpat Mats
Silpat mats are used for super-easy non-stick baking. Even the stickiest and the most delicate foods won't stick to a Silpat, and there's no need to grease the pan.
26. Chocolate Polycarbonate Moulds
Chocolate moulds are hollow containers used to give shape to liquid chocolate when it cools and hardens and is made of plastic, rubber, or special polycarbonate materials.
Baking Appliances
1. Oven
An Oven is a tool often used for cooking and baking, where it can be used to heat food to the desired temperature.
OTG Oven
An Oven, Toaster, Grill (OTG) is a smaller version of a traditional oven. An OTG is best used for baking, roasting, and grilling. You can bake cakes, grill meat, and toast bread with ease.
Convection Microwave Oven
A convection microwave can perform all of the functions same as OTG, along with being able to reheat, cook, and de-freeze, which the OTG cannot.
2. Stand Mixer
The stand mixer has numerous benefits. It allows you to bake without the need for your hands, which means you have more power and speed. It also allows you to do multitask. The stand mixer comes with several attachments, such as a paddle that is used to cream and a whisk that whips egg whites.
3. Hand mixers
A hand mixer is an appliance that can be used to beat, whip, and combine ingredients. It's a great tool for whipping cream or eggs, mixing cake batter and cookie dough, and making things like icing and salad dressings.
4. Hand Blender
A hand blender is a tool that can be used to blend food items chop them. This also allows you to save time when making soups and salad dressings.
We hope that this blog helped you to learn about some of the essential baking tools every baker needs to have in their kitchen. These are just a few of the best and most useful tools for baking. Whether you're making cupcakes, muffins, or bread, with these essential baking tools, you will surely be able to bake delicious treats.
References:
1. https://www.crazyforcrust.com/dry-versus-liquid-measuring-cups/
2. https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/bake/essential-baking-tools/
3. https://bakeclub.com.au/blogs/q-a/which-spoon-should-i-use-for-mixing
5. https://asian-recipe.com/types-of-spatulas-15468
6. https://www.marthastewart.com/8062030/what-is-pastry-brush
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oven
13. https://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--37885/baking-sheet.asp
15. https://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/types-of-baking-pans-tins
17. https://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--36276/mixing-bowls.asp
19. https://www.thespruceeats.com/definition-bench-scraper-908878
20. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/guide/924/a-comprehensive-guide-to-disposable-cake-boards.html
22. https://www.thespruceeats.com/hand-mixer-definition-1907897
23. https://www.kent.co.in/blog/excellent-reasons-to-use-a-hand-blender/
24. https://www.wechu.org/food-safety/how-use-probe-thermometer