Baking is one of the most therapeutic ways to past time, however, if you need help on the equipment you need to get started, we are here to help! If you already love baking then you probably already have most of these baking tools in your kitchen.
The following list comprises twenty basic pieces of equipment for a beginner. I’ve compiled this list based on my own experience. These are in no particular order.
1. Oven is the most important baking essential. Make a wise decision depending on your needs and family size. I recommend buying a size larger than what you think you would need and big enough to bake a 9-inch pizza.
2. Weighing scale is important to be as precise as possible when measuring the ingredients. A kitchen weighing scale helps you with accurate measurements.
3. Measuring cups and spoons. Many recipes give ingredient measurements and if you are following such recipes then you would need a set of measuring cups and spoons. Though I would recommend measuring ingredients on a weighing scale.
4. Oven thermometer. Every oven behaves differently. An inaccurate temperature will either over bake or under bake your baked goods. An oven thermometer will save you a lot of problems.
5. Spatula. Stirring, mixing, scraping and spreading - spatulas do wonders. You will reach for your spatula more often than you think. They are super handy for folding together dry or wet ingredients. I recommend a silicone spatula as they are flexible and can be used at high temperatures.
6. Whisk. For whisking eggs, to blend ingredients smoothly, or to incorporate air into the mixture, a whisk helps incorporate and dissolve myriad dry ingredients into wet ingredients. A handle handy tool and a must-have.
7. Sieve. Shifting your flour and dry ingredients can help you remove lumps and impurities or adding a dust of powdered sugar to a finished pan of chocolate cake. It also comes in handy to drain the wet ingredients.
8. Parchment paper. There is nothing worse than baking something and having it stick to the walls of the pan or tin. Sometimes even though you grease a tin, you may also need to line it with a parchment paper as this ensures that whatever you are baking will turn out in good condition.
9. Pastry brush. This handy tool has more uses than you realize. It can be used to grease a pan before pouring the cake batter, to brush egg wash on the pastry, or even to paint milk on a pie crust. Especially, if you are a frequent baker, this is a must-have.
10. Mixer. While this might not be a piece of basic equipment, getting one will elevate your baking experience almost immediately! It can save you plenty of time and energy. Stand mixers are useful for thicker doughs and large quantities whereas handheld mixers are easy to clean and pack up.
11. Cooling rack. Cooling racks provide good ventilation for your goods to cool. It allows good airflow all round, allowing them to cool evenly and get to the right texture.
12. Pans. A rectangular or square pan 9 by 13 inches is a definite must-have. You can use it for so many sweet desserts – brownies, cookies, etc.
13. Two round pans of the same size. You will need these on hand to make a stunning towering layer cake. They come in 7 inches and 8 inches.
14. Loaf pan. Banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread all of these call for a loaf pan, 9 by 5 inches. Muffin pans for breakfast muffins or cupcakes.
15. Cookie Sheet. You will need at least one cookie sheet to bake cookies.
16. Pie plate for baking homemade pies but there are a lot of other desserts that can make this pan useful
17. Rolling pin. These are most useful for rolling out pie crust, cookie dough, and puff pastry.
18. Wooden spoons. This is a timeless cooking tool. They are very handy to use while making caramel or any custard as they do not transfer heat as much as metal spoons and it becomes easy to control the temperature of the caramel or custard.
19. Kitchen scissors. The most useful and handy tool that can be used in so many different ways - snipping fresh herbs, cutting parchment to fit a pan, and even opening stubborn packages and containers
20. Chefs knives. A set of chefs knives - one that is long and can be used for slicing brownies or cake or the serrated knife for slicing bread. The set will be very useful!
 | Mona Kotwal is a mother, wife, educator, and a passionate certified baker. Mona enjoys life with her two loving daughters and her caring husband. She loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends. In her free time, you can find her watching movies or exercising to stay fit. Mona has been a baker for the last twenty years and believes in helping homemakers, working parents, kids and teenagers across the globe bake professionally. She teaches virtually with a goal to impart confidence in aspiring bakers to help them create delicious goodies from the comfort of their homes. Follow her on Instagram. |
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