Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Kitchen Essentials Part 1 : Basic Baking Tools

Have you ever wondered what tools you would need to have in your kitchen in able to bake?
 
Cracking your head on what is a need and what is optional?
 
Below are a couple of items, I think one should have in their kitchen!
 
{pix: various source from Google.}
 
1. Measuring spoons - makes it easier to measure up small amounts like baking powder, baking soda, salt, yeast and so on.
2. Measuring jug - makes it easier to measure up large amounts of liquid. I prefer pyrex/glass because that way, if I need to heat up something in the Microwave, it saves me time from washing another item.
3. Pastry brush - makes it easire to brush your pastry, dough, and so on. Best if you buy a good one, those cheaper ones, the brush tends to rust or go out of shape.
4. Piping bag & nozzles - for pipping your cupcakes, piping your cream puffs, eclairs, macarons and so on. Those stainless steel nozzles are better because the shape turns out better than plastic ones.
5. Electronic kitchen scale - makes it easier to measure small amount, it is more accurate. You can pick it up pretty cheap too. Definitely beats the old-school kitchen scale (which would be better for larger amounts).
6. Mixing bowl - Pyrex or a bowl which is microwavable makes things earlier, sometimes you can use it over a double boiler (ie:melting chocolate). Stainless steels are okay too, but you can't put it in the microwave.
7. Measuring cups - makes it easier to measure up smaller amounts. I prefer stainless steel because especially when measuring oil ingredients (ie: butter, oil), it is definitely easier to wash off.
8. Baking tray - This is for cookies, or if you buy a baking sheet with higher sides (also known as a Swissroll/Lamington tray), you can make those too.
9. Cupcake/Muffin liners - you can find all types of designs and sizes, makes your baked goods pretty.
10. Whisk - important, to whisk smaller amout of ingredients (ie: egg whites, eggs, creaming butter&sugar). It can also be used as a sifter too for dry ingredients, just to loosen the ingredients up.
11. Spatula - makes scraping off remaining batter easier off the bowl/sheet. It is good to invest in a good heat resistant one too (sugar/caramel).
12. Wooden spoon - good for stirring of your choux pastry (before it bakes into profiteroles), you need a thick sturdy wooden spoon, so it doesn't break.
13. Baking pan - for baking cakes, great to have it in springform type too, where the base of the pan can be removed (suitable for more delicate cakes).
14. Rolling pins - it is up to you to have the ones with the handles or not, just your own preference. It comes in different types of material too (plastic, stainless steel, wood).
15. Cupcake/Muffin tray - comes in different sizes, so perhaps you could get 2 sizes, therefore you can have a variety of standard and mini cupcakes/muffins.
16. Mechanical Ice cream scoop - this is the best tool you can have when baking, makes it so much easier to scoop your batter into your cupcakes liners, it is more consistent too.
17. Kitchen mixer - Great to have this Kitchenaid mixer (if you can afford it), if not, a more basic kitchen mixer is also sufficient enough.
 
Hope these tips will help you in deciding what you should have as basics in your kitchen when you're thinking of baking!
 
Check back next week for Kitchen Essentials Part 2!
 
 
 
Happy Shopping! :)

2 comments:

Rajesh Sharma said...

where to buy from i delhi

UNKNOWN said...

Thank you because you have been willing to share information with us. we will always appreciate all you have done here because I know you are very concerned with our. baking pan