Eight Essential Baking Tools You’ll Need (Even If You Don’t Bake That Much)
If you’re not interested in baking or can’t wait to get your oven mitts dirty, you’ll need a durable baking tool. There is a huge selection of unusual and exciting tools, but most of them are only necessary if you plan to create a specific product. (My pan of madeleines is collecting dust right now, poor thing). It’s unlikely that any of this will be needed once you’ve equipped your kitchen with everything you need. Here’s a list of tools that will serve multiple purposes and take care of everything you bake, from mac and cheese to pumpkin pie.
Proper mixing bowl
You have a set of six soup bowls from Ikea. Me too, but you will need at least one more bowl – a mixing bowl. This bowl should be large enough to hold a double batch of cake batter and deep enough to catch the whipped cream splashes from the hand mixer. (Steep walls are important.) This bowl is a must-have in the kitchen. In addition to mixing the famous peanut butter cookie dough, you’ll use the bowl to formulate salads , marinate proteins, and toss chopped vegetables with butter. It also makes a great popcorn bowl.
I recommend a stainless steel bowl. It’s lighter than glass or ceramic, doesn’t trap oils and odors like plastic, and conducts energy well if you need a makeshift steamer . My aesthetic leans toward brutalist, but I think it looks nice enough to be used as a serving bowl. If you only have one mixing bowl, buy one that holds at least six quarts. If you have room for more, there are several good nesting kits available. I don’t want to be too picky, but while we’re at it, look for a bowl that has a lip or slight lip along the top edge. This lip is crucial for precise pouring without spills or drips, and you will regret purchasing a bowl without this subtle feature.
I found you mixing bowls, lips and all:
- 7 liter stainless steel bowl
- Set of Three Heavy Duty Large Mixing Bowls
- Set of four Tovolo stainless steel bowls
Sheet trays
Baking sheets or baking sheets are different from cookie sheets, and cookie sheets are a scam. (Why need a flat metal sheet with only one rimmed side when you can have four whole sides?) Sheet pans come in a variety of sizes, but most home ovens are not large enough for an actual sheet pan filled with sheets. If you’re only willing to use one sheet tray, choose the half-sheet size. The baking tray will help you bake cookies, biscuits and custard puffs , as well as fry vegetables and bake bacon . The more you use them, the longer they last and the darker the patina becomes. Years will pass and you will remember all the good baked goods you shared together.
You can look for trays that are warp-resistant or trays with a honeycomb structure underneath, but even a lightweight, inexpensive aluminum pan can last ten years (and the aluminum won’t warp). Just be sure to hand wash raw aluminum and avoid sudden temperature changes to minimize warping.
Use a half-sheet pan or two to bake several dishes at once:
Wire cooling rack
The Wire Cooling Rack is exactly what it sounds like and more. It is made of strong metal wires that criss-cross, with small legs at the bottom to hold the stand about a half-inch above whatever surface it is placed on. This allows air to flow up, over and under objects lying on it, which is the key to fast and even cooling. The most important thing is that moisture does not accumulate under it.
Whether you need a safe place to place a hot pan or are scooping cookies off a baking sheet to cool, a wire cooling rack can help. This is also a fixative that prevents the pancakes from getting wet . They come in large and small sizes, and some are even stackable, so there’s no reason why you can’t place a cooling rack somewhere in your kitchen. Racks and baking sheets work well together (for pouring ganache over a cake, skimming fat from roasted meats, or making a super-crispy batch of roasted vegetables ), so look for a cooling rack that matches the size of your baking sheet.
I recommend a criss-cross pattern to keep the cupcakes from wobbling and the cookies from sinking:
Cupcake pan
Before you skip ahead because you “don’t bake cupcakes,” pause. First of all, never say never to cupcakes, but still understand that cupcakes are just what this smart pan can make. Also called a “muffin tin,” you can use it to create a neat mise-en-place when preparing food, and this dedicated tin is great for breakfast with baked or poached eggs, or eggs in ham cups . You can also use it to make makeshift Yorkshire puddings or fry a whole bunch of onions until they’re caramelized.
When purchasing a muffin tin, consider the type of storage space you have. If you’re working with small cabinets, buy several six-cup pans. If you have more space, buy a standard 12-cup casserole dish. The 24 cup pan is for the cupcake lover with a lot of space, and if that’s you, bake with pride. I like aluminum pans because they help brown, heat up quickly, and are lightweight, which is great because I stack mine vertically in the back of the cabinet. Ceramic muffin tins are beautiful, but they are heavy, difficult to store, and significantly increase baking time. I don’t think they’re worth the aesthetics.
Consider the following options for cupcake pans:
Casserole
A simple, high-sided rectangular tin, large enough for lasagna or extra-thick cakes, will have a place in your grown-up kitchen. A standard 13-by-9-inch casserole dish is great for baking a snack pie , but with so many real casseroles out there, you’ll have to make a different dinner every night of the year. They are great for braising meats and are extremely useful as side dishes for large family dinners. If you’re thinking about Thanksgiving, we’re on the same page. Whether you’re in charge of delivering mac and cheese or you’re hosting and you’ve run out of serving bowls, the casserole is versatile and pretty darn attractive. It transports well, you can go straight from the refrigerator to the oven, then straight to the table (and back to the refrigerator if there are leftovers).
The casserole dish must be thick and durable so that it can be cooked for a long time. You can hardly go wrong.
- Ceramic baking dish Sur La Table with lid
- OXO Good Grips Glass Baking Dish with Lid
- Deep Pyrex Glass Baking Pans
Parchment
Most of the items we’ve looked at so far are baking tools with broad, versatile functions. While the following serve completely different purposes, they are first and foremost truly important baking tools. If you are baking, you will need parchment paper. This uncoated, non-stick paper will prevent your worst baking nightmares, namely cakes, cheesecakes, brownies and breads from sticking to the bottom corners of the pan. (That sucks.) While you can test your luck with butter and flour, there’s no way to undo it if you miss something.
Besides sweets, meat and vegetables also like to stick to metal. Sometimes oiling the pan isn’t enough, and this non-stick paper provides a safe environment. The most delicate foods, such as fish, which dry out easily in the oven, can be completely wrapped in a secure parchment bag called fish en papillote . This not only prevents food from sticking, but also traps steam to ensure gentle cooking of the fish.
To ensure paper security, place a layer of parchment paper on the bottom of baking pans and baking sheets. If you’re trying your hand at baking bread, you can proof and bake the bread on the same sheet of parchment, popping it straight into the oven. It also makes cleaning up cookies, and all baked goods for that matter, much easier. Although it’s disposable, you can usually bake multiple batches on one sheet.
You can get parchment paper pre-cut, but a roll allows you to shape the pieces into the shape you want.
A pair of round muffin tins
Even someone who is an occasional baker probably bakes a cake at least once a year. Whether you’re using a store-bought boxed mix or making cakes from scratch, baking your cakes in two nine-inch circles is a classic move for a reason. You can also make cheesecakes, upside down cakes, or large amounts of hot spinach dip in a muffin tin.
While I understand that kitchen cabinet space may be tight (I’ve been living in an apartment in New York City for a while now), I recommend purchasing two identical cake pans. Even if you think one layer is all you’ll ever need, you’ll encounter times when you’ll need to bake more dough. If you only have one pan, you’ll need to wait for this layer to bake and cool before filling it again. This may take up to 45 minutes of waiting, by which time the second coat may have exhausted its loosening power. Get more consistent results by baking the dough at the same time. Plus, it’s faster.
I like the simple 9-inch round muffin pans:
Any mixing machine
While I love my KitchenAid, I don’t think everyone needs a stand mixer. They take up a lot of counter space and are expensive. However, there is no doubt that a powerful machine makes baking accessible to more people. I love baking bread, but I don’t think I’ll ever bake it if I have to knead it with my bare hands for 20 minutes. Likewise, whipping a large batch of whipped cream would be tedious using only regular human hands.
I suggest purchasing one mixing machine that suits your needs. This can be a stand mixer that sits on the counter or a hand mixer that can be folded up and stored in a cabinet. It could even be a food processor. With the variety of different attachments available these days, you can make pie crust, whipped cream, pizza dough, cheesecake dough, or cookie dough right here. It’s not that you can’t do everything by hand, but a powerful machine will make baking easier, faster, more consistent and, frankly, more eco-friendly, fun and easier to fit into your schedule. There are a wide variety of convenient machines available, ranging in price from under $20 to over $600, so consider what you’ll be mixing, your space, and your budget to choose the mixer for you.
Find a machine that comes with the attachments you need and fits your budget:
Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer with 4 Attachments and Storage
Betty Crocker Hand Mixer, 7 Speeds
Ninja Professional Plus with Dough Blade
Samsaimo Stand Mixer with Tilt Head
Consider your kitchen size and cooking habits and have fun choosing foods you like; they will be with you for a while. I guarantee that once you stock your kitchen with these eight baking essentials, you’ll be off to a good start.