There’s nothing quite like fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. The gooey inside with the chocolate chips that melt in your mouth is not something you can find in a store-bought version. Last year, more Americans than ever whipped out their sugar and flour and started baking. In fact, the sales of baking products were up 24% in 2020.
But before you make baking your next hobby, you want to make sure that you have the right equipment on hand. With the right equipment, you can produce truly impressive treats.
If you’ve ever spent time browsing the kitchen aisle at your favorite home goods store, you probably know that there is a seemingly never ending assortment of baking tools out there.
We have narrowed it down to the 7 essential baking tools. Read on before rushing to the store to make sure that you’re setting yourself up for success.
1. Measuring Tools
Baking is an intricate art and mixing up a tablespoon and a teaspoon can be the difference between a perfect cake and a cake that you through straight into the trash. A good set of measuring cups and spoons should be one of the first things you grab when you’re picking out your starter baking equipment.
You might want to purchase dry and liquid measuring cups to help you measure liquid ingredients most accurately. Liquid measuring cups usually have a handle and will make for easy pouring of liquid ingredients.
Because baking requires precise measurements to get the best results, a digital scare is another must-have for any baker. Measuring the weight of an ingredient using a digital scale is a foolproof way to make sure that you are including the right amount.
2. Mixing Bowls
Whether you’re baking bread, cake, cookies, or croissants, you will need mixing bowls. And yes, you will need more than one! Many recipes require that you mix wet ingredients separately from dry ingredients, or you will need to mix cake batter and make the frosting.
Make sure you pick out a variety of different sizes of mixing bowls. Having a mixing bowl that is heat-resistant can also be helpful when you are dealing with hot ingredients.
3. Utensils
Once you have your measurement and mixing basics, utensils help to bring everything together. You will want to have an assortment on hand to help your baking excel.
The specific utensils you need will depend on what you’re baking. But, if you don’t know where to start, throw some kitchen scissors, a whisk, a rolling pin, and a hand mixer into your cart.
For many bakers, an offset spatula is a must since it will help you to frost a cake beautifully. You might also want to purchase a dough scraper, which will help you to remove sticky dough from your prep surface.
4. Bakeware
You can’t bake without the bakeware, like pans and baking sheets. These items are worth investing in since high-quality bakeware can last for decades.
Here are some standard essentials that you should start with:
- 9-inch round cake pan
- 9×13 rectangular pan
- Cookie sheet
- Loaf pan
- Muffin pan
With these basics, you can bake everything from gooey brownies to a zucchini loaf. You can select the items from the list that are most relevant to you. If you know you will never bake cupcakes or muffins, maybe you want to skip the muffin tin while you’re starting out.
5. Parchment Paper
There is nothing worse than baking your treat to perfection and then discovering that it’s stuck to the pan so you can’t take it out to enjoy it. Parchment paper is heat-resistant and non-stick, meaning you won’t need to use any extra oil to prevent your baking project from sticking to the pan.
Not all parchment paper is created equal, so you will want to use the Best Parchment Paper. This paper will be pre-cut to fit your standard bakeware and can even include tabs to help to lift a cake or other baked goods out of its pan for cooling and decorating.
6. Thermometer
When you’re baking treats, it can be hard to know when they’re ready to be pulled out of the oven. Sometimes you pull a golden brown cake out of the oven only to discover that the inside of your cake is raw.
As you become more experienced, you might notice other signs that indicate when your treats are ready. But while you are just beginning, a thermometer will take the guesswork out of it to make sure that you have a perfect bake every time.
A thermometer is a great tool when you are boiling sugar or making caramel. In these instances, too much heat can cause the sugar to burn and ruin the taste. Use your thermometer to monitor the temperature as you go and avoid a burnt sugar disaster.
7. Pastry Bags and Piping Set
Stand-out baking is usually the combination of an exceptional bake and Instagram-worthy decoration and presentation. For cake and cupcake bakers, you can’t go without pastry bags and a piping set.
This will allow you to decorate your treats in a delicate and intricate manner. You may be surprised to find that simply using a knife to decorate your cupcakes with frosting will leave them looking sloppy. For a professional finish, use a piping set and get plenty of practice.
Stock Up on Tools For the Beginner Baker
Ask any baker for their baking tips, and they will give you a long list of complex baking equipment that they deem must-haves. But, for a beginner baker, just these seven items will set you up for success.
Stock your kitchen with these seven baking tools and before you know it, you will be baking treats so yummy you might even have a few neighbors knocking on your door to ask what the delicious smell is.
Enjoy learning about how to launch your new favorite hobby? Check out our blog for more helpful tips and tricks to help you excel in whatever you do.
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