The Top Must-Have Bakeware Items for Every Home Baker
A rolling pin is used to flatten everything from pie and pastry crust to biscuit dough and cutout cookies. Beginners should opt for the roller style rather than the rod.
You'll also want a loaf pan for quick bread, plus two round cake pans to bake cakes and cupcakes. Finally, a set of spacers helps you apply uniform marzipan or frosting to your cakes.
Baking Sheets
Whether you’re baking cookies, roasting vegetables, or making a sheet cake, having a good quality set of baking sheets in the kitchen is an absolute must. Sheet pans are large, rectangular cooking trays that are usually made of aluminum or stainless steel and come in a variety of sizes. They are ideal for holding larger foods like whole chicken and casseroles, as well as baked goods such as cakes or cookies. They can also be used as convenient task trays to hold small ingredients or to prep food ahead of time for later cooking.
The most common type of sheet pan is a traditional aluminum pan that comes in an assortment of sizes. These are lightweight, affordable, and heat up quickly and evenly in the oven. They can be found in most home cookware sets and are easy to clean.
If you’re looking for a more premium option, stainless steel pans are a great choice. They’re durable and non-reactive, meaning they won’t react with any ingredients or leach chemicals into your food. They are also rust-resistant and dishwasher-safe, making them a good choice for busy families.
Another option is a ceramic-coated sheet pan, which is non-toxic and also dishwasher safe. These are also resistant to rusting and can be used in the oven, broiler, or microwave. They are ideal for reducing fat content when roasting meats by allowing excess oil to drip off of the food, as well as keeping foods crispy.
Finally, a nonstick baking sheet is another useful option that’s available in a variety of shapes and sizes. These typically feature a nonstick coating that’s derived from natural sources, such as sand-derived silica. This type of coating is easier to clean than conventional nonstick pans, which are often layered with PFAS-based chemical additives, such as PTFE and FEP.
For a high-performing and eco-friendly baking sheet, we recommend Caraway’s Non-Toxic Baking Sheet Set. This set includes a full and half sheet pan, along with a Dutch oven, to meet all of your baking needs. The aluminized aluminum base is oven-safe up to 600 degrees, and the sand-based ceramic coating will not leach into your food.
Measuring Cups
One of the most important tools a baker can have is a set of measuring cups. They’ll help you accurately measure both wet and dry ingredients, which is essential to a successful baking recipe. Dry measuring cups normally come in a set of four sizes – one cup, one-half cup, one-third cup, and one-fourth cup – and are typically made from metal (which is more accurate and longer lasting than plastic), although they also can be found in ceramic and even glass options. Liquid measuring cups, on the other hand, are usually clear in color and are printed with a cup measurement on one side and fluid ounces on the other. They’re typically designed with a handle on one side and a pouring spout on the other and are available in either metal or plastic versions.
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Other baking tools include mixing spoons and a whisk, which can help combine wet ingredients. Typically, a plastic mixing spoon will work just fine, but wooden or stainless steel spoons are also a good choice. A whisk can be used to combine liquids, especially in thicker doughs and batters, resulting in a smooth, lump-free mixture. A sifter is also a great tool to have, as it can remove any lumps from powdered ingredients and make them easier to combine into batters.
A kitchen scale is a must-have for serious home bakers, too. Many recipes are based on a specific volume of an ingredient, which means that inaccurate measurements can result in drier cookies or dense cakes, or other problems. Using a scale allows you to avoid these mistakes by measuring precisely by weight, rather than volume.
Other useful baking items include a cooling rack, which will let your freshly baked treats cool off from all sides and prevent them from sticking to the pans and burning or getting soggy. A rolling pin is another helpful tool, as it can be used to flatten cookie dough and spread frosting. It’s also useful for removing cakes and pastries from the oven, too.
Silicone Mats
A silicone baking mat, also known as a Silpat, sits on top of your standard cookie sheet and helps bake evenly baked goods without burning the bottoms or sticking. These are especially useful for messy or sticky recipes that would otherwise require a lot of scrubbing. They are also reusable, so they can help save money and make your kitchen a little bit greener, too.
There are many different brands of silicone baking mats on the market, but we recommend checking out this set that comes with a half-sheet and a quarter-sheet of mats in various sizes. The set is a great value and also includes two pastry bags with several differently shaped nozzles for creatively decorating your sweet or savory treats.
These baking mats are also oven and freezer-safe, so they can be used for a variety of different purposes in your kitchen. In addition to using them for baking, they can be great for kneading dough or rolling out cookies as they can help you avoid the need for extra flour that could potentially mess up your beautiful homemade creations.
One important thing to remember when using a silicone baking mat is that you shouldn’t use metal utensils on it. This is because sharp tools can pierce the silicone and cause it to break down. Instead, use plastic utensils when you’re cooking with these handy mats.
A good quality silicone baking mat can last for at least a year with regular usage and top-of-the-line ones have been known to last much longer. They are also easy to clean and can be stored either rolled up or flat, depending on how they’re being used. The best part is that they are less expensive than parchment paper, which is often single-use and creates more waste in your kitchen.
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Kitchen Scale
A kitchen scale is one of the most essential tools for any home baker, as it provides an accurate measurement of ingredients to ensure that your recipes turn out exactly how they should. Accuracy is critical in baking, especially as small variations can make a huge difference in the final texture and flavor of your baked goods. Rather than relying on vague measurements like "one cup" or "a pinch," a digital scale gives you the exact amount of each ingredient needed to achieve the results described in the recipe.
This digital kitchen scale features a bright backlit display and a convenient pull-out bowl for easier cleanup. It has a high weight capacity and is powered by triple-A batteries, making it portable for use in multiple locations. The unit conversion button makes it easy to switch between Imperial and Metric measurements, so you can follow any recipe with ease regardless of its original format. It also has a tare function that reduces the weight of a bowl or measuring container, so you can measure the contents of your baking pan more easily without needing to add and subtract multiple times.
When shopping for a digital kitchen scale, be sure to look for a model known for its accuracy and precision. It should have a high maximum weight limit to accommodate the largest containers and pans used in baking, as well as a low minimum weight limit for the most delicate ingredients. You should also look for a scale that provides the ability to weigh in either ounces or grams, as many recipes still use imperial measurements while others are switching to metric.
A digital scale can be a lifesaver in any kitchen, but it is especially useful for bakers. By providing accurate measurements of every ingredient, a scale can elevate your baking to new levels of perfection and help you avoid wasting time, money, or food on an experiment that doesn't quite work out. Invest in a quality digital scale for your kitchen and you'll soon see why this modern invention is quickly becoming a staple of every American home kitchen.
Conclusion
Whether you’re baking cookies, roasting vegetables, or making a sheet cake, having a good quality set of baking sheets in the kitchen is an absolute must. A silicone baking mat, also known as a Silpat, sits on top of your standard cookie sheet and helps bake evenly baked goods without burning the bottoms or sticking. A kitchen scale is one of the most essential tools for any home baker, as it provides an accurate measurement of ingredients to ensure that your recipes turn out exactly how they should.
