Basic Baking Tools
With these 7 items you will be fully equipped to bake. You can make cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. and can even use these items for cooking and roasting. Another post will follow on more food specific tools: bread baking, cupcakes, pies and more but these are the MUST haves.
Measuring spoons: Baking with a scale (mentioned as an essential cooking tool) is more precise but I love the ease of using measuring spoons for DRY ingredients. I make the distinction because you cannot use a measuring jug for dry ingredients. Details I look out for are: both cup and ml measurements on the spoons, stackable or easily kept together for storage and, if your budget allows, stainless steel is better because it can be used used for hot food. Here are a few I would recommend: stackable, stainless steel cups and/or stainless steel spoons. Price ranges vary from 2 USD or Euros to 50…
Silicone spatula: You only really need one for baking but somehow while looking for an option to give you I found that no one really wants to sell you just one. If you go for a set, have one for baking and another for cooking that way your cakes wont be infused with an onion taste. Look for: entirely silicone and non white spatulas (white will stain and look kind of gross quite quickly).
Whisk: This tool allows you to whip up cream and meringues, as well as, mix ingredients more thoroughly. Note: There is such a think as over whisking cake batters so don’t overdue it (The more you mix flour, the tougher the proteins in the flour become. It can make your cake denser and less airy.)
Mixing bowl: If you can find one with a lid that’s great. This Ikea one has the additional functionality of avoiding a mess while whipping. I also really like the brand Joseph Joseph. Although pricier, I think their tools are well thought out. These bowls stack up and even include measuring spoons. I grew up using Pyrex bowls that are microwavable and now come with a lid. Versatile but also a bit more shallow than normal mixing bowls.
Springform pan: I have two for making stacked cakes but if you are an occasional baker one is enough. You can make single layer cakes, cheesecake even a quiche in this pan. I like this Ikea design (although I don’t have it) because it seems to solve the issue of liquid seeping out of the pan that happens with my current ones. For anyone who has tried to make a cake without fastening the pan correctly, you would know how big of a mess you can make! Grandma’s Tip: When using, if making a crumb bottom as in a cheesecake or lemon pie, I cut a round piece of baking paper/parchment paper and place it on the bottom of the pan. That way, when I go to remove the creation from the pan its much easier to do.
Cookie sheet: PLEASE check your oven size BEFORE buying a cookie sheet. Some cookie sheets don’t fit in certain ovens and/or sometimes your oven comes with a tray you can use as a cookie sheet so you don’t need to buy another one. I warn because it has happened to me!
Baking pans: There are a variety of baking pans. Most brownie/bar recipes call for an 8x8 inch pan for 16 brownies or a larger 13x9 inch pan (33x23 cm) for doubling the recipe. Ikea’s glass bakeware does not follow these measurements but they are “good enough” at 35x25 cm. A glass baking dish is more versatile because you can use it for making lasagnas or roasting a chicken, as well as, for baking and cleaning will be easier.
