26 Insanely Useful Products That Every Baker Needs
Every baker should consider having these products in their arsenal. Get a digital scale, French rolling pin, silicone everything, and soon you'll be baking like a bona fide boss.
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We asked members of BuzzFeed Community about their holy grail baking products. Here's what they had to say!
1. A French style, tapered rolling pin gives you more control over the dough than one with handles would.
"Throw away the ones with handles! The tapered end of a French pin allows so much versatility when rolling out pie crusts or pizza crusts! Rolling with your palms gives you better insight as to how much pressure you’re exerting on whatever you are rolling."
Get one for $15.
2. Silpat silicone baking mats are reusable, non-stick surfaces that promote even temperature/heat distribution.
"I love those things so much. Nothing sticks, your cookie sheets remain immaculate, and they can be easily washed and reused over and over."
— Belinda Louise Obfish, Facebook
Get one for $15.90 - $24.98 depending on size. You can also get silicone mats with measurements like this one.
5. A cupcake corer will let you get ~fancy~ with your cupcakes and insert a hidden layer of deliciousness within.
"Easily core cupcakes and fill with frosting, fruits, caramel, etc. You’ll impress your friends and family; they’ll think you spent hours on them!"
Get one for $6.95. But as 18milesnh points out, "an apple corer does double duty."
6. Using cake/pastry/bread flour instead of all-purpose flour will make a big difference for serious bakers.
"The lower the protein, the less gluten development, and the airier the cake. Cake and pastry flour sits at around 6-8% protein, all-purpose flour at around 10%, and bread flour at 14-16%. The first time I made my go-to cupcakes with cake flour, it was like the heavens shone down and congratulated me on doing things right. Bread flour has more protein for the opposite effect—the gluten has to be strong enough to hold its own when being baked; it's how you get the springiness."
— Sandy Smith, Facebook
Get the cake flour for $9.97, pastry flour for $15.42, and bread flour for $17.99.
7. A oven rack pusher/puller will prevent the klutzy and unfortunate from getting nasty burns.
"Even with oven mitts on, I’ve burned my forearms on the rack above the one I’m pulling out. One of these bad boys will save you a lot of trouble."
Get one for $4.99. These rack guards are also a good option.
8. Nielsen-Massey uses a special cold-process method to draw out the delicate, distinctive flavor from vanilla beans, which are native to Mexico.
9. The KitchenAid Stand Mixer is definitely worth the investment because of its long-lasting nature.
"A KitchenAid stand mixer is the gold standard of baking appliances. It's definitely the most expensive thing in my kitchen by far; but my mom has had hers since she got married over 40 years ago, so I know it will last forever."
— Tonya J G Ross, Facebook
"It’s about KitchenAid’s motor. A knockoff won’t knead bread dough for 20 minutes at a time year after year without burning out."
Get one for $268.99. Other suggestions for stand mixers include Breville, Cuisinart, and Sunbeam.
10. And while we're on the subject of KitchenAid mixers, this handy BeaterBlade will eliminate pesky batter build-up.
"It's like the regular blade but with rubber on the sides so it scrapes the sides of the bowl while it mixes!"
Get one for $10.77.
11. The Wilton #1M star decorating tip and disposable decorating bags for fancy AF cupcakes/cakes/etc.
"If you are only going to have one frosting tip, this one makes all of your cupcakes look fancy AF without a shit ton of effort. And the disposable piping bags because reusable ones can easily mildew when not taken care of correctly, and no one wants mildew flavored frosting."
Get the frosting tip for $5.07 and a 12-pack of decorating bags for $5. You can also get a frosting gun if you want to pretend to be a baking James Bond.
12. Oven thermometers help you detect your oven's lies and make sure you end up with edible results.
"I live in NYC and rent my apartment, which means my oven is probably from 1972. Having a thermometer inside of my oven helps me adjust baking times so everything doesn’t burn (like it ALWAYS used to!). My oven is usually 20 degrees hotter inside than what I set it to be."
Get one for $7.07.
13. A digital scale allows for more precise measuring and easier clean-up than traditional measuring cups.
15. These Wilton scoop-it batter spoons will ensure your cupcakes (or whatever else you make) are perfectly and evenly sized.
"They come in a set of three and help you pour the right amount of batter for a mini cupcake, regular cupcake, or a jumbo cupcake. And each spoon is lined with silicone around the edge, so they double as a bowl scraper!!"
Get them for $5.99. If you want more traditional cookie scoops, this set is a good option.
16. Expandable/stackable cooling racks save space and alleviate the struggles of waiting for your desserts to cool.
18. The Oster breadmaker will give you the fresh, homemade bread of your dreams in under an hour.
19. A pastry blender has many useful purposes from incorporating shortening/butter into dry ingredients to creating perfect pie crusts.
"A lot of people think it’s unnecessary and that a fork works fine, but a pastry blender is so much more efficient."
Psst, bekajeanettef says it's also good for making egg salad and guac. Get one for $6.97.
21. Glass bowls and baking dishes serve a variety of purposes and are safe to use in the oven, microwave, fridge, freezer, and dishwasher.
23. A sifter ensures all of your dry ingredients are aerated properly (say no to clumps!) and combine evenly.
25. A candy thermometer is essential for not only making candy and icing, but also for working with any sort of liquids.
26. And a massive 48-cup mini muffin pan is the perfect solution for accommodating a large crowd.
"I’m always baking for parties, events, school, etc., and mini desserts always seem to win everyone over. With one huge pan, it’s less of a hassle and the job is finished a lot quicker. I don’t even need liners for some of the things I bake since it’s nonstick. Although the size can be a turn off, I just hang it on the side of my fridge with some magnetic strips.
Get one for $20.99.
The comments for this post may have been edited for length and clarity.
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