Just Baking

The last time we were at the Baker’s Bench together, we took a look at the essential tools every baker should have in his or her arsenal. This week, we’ll explore some tools that are wonderfully helpful and great to have but not necessarily critical to successful baking in the home kitchen.

With so many tools on the market, there are bound to be items that you find useful and fun, and maybe even some that you’ve come to rely on, that I’ve left off the list. When it comes to preferences, though, every home baker is different, and since we all work in different kitchens under different circumstances, we’re all bound to have our pet utensils and special helps. If you have a favorite baking tool or gadget that you just can’t seem to do without, drop me a comment and tell us about it!

Optional Equipment

• Deep-dish and regular pizza pans
• Additional sheet and baking pans of each essential size (1)
• Novelty pans for decorated cakes
• 8-, 9-, and 10-inch springform pans
• Tart pan with removable bottom
• 6-cup jumbo muffin pan
• Mini-muffin pan
• Silpat in various sizes and/or parchment paper to line baking sheets
• 2-piece tube pan
• Citrus reamer
• Cookie and biscuit cutters
• Pastry blender
• Pastry wheel
• Candy thermometer
• Offset spatulas
• Ultrathin cookie spatula
• Digital scale for small measures
• Beam balance for large measures
• Instant-read stem thermometer
• Bench knife
• Lame (blade affixed to a handle)
• Melon baller
• Mandoline
• Serrated slicing knives
• Kitchen shears
• Apple corer
• Tongs
• Food mill, food processor, immersion blender
• Couche, bannetons (for bread making)
• Peel (for pizza, breads)
• Baking stone or tile
• Pastry bags, piping tips, decorating combs
• Mister
• Ice cream machine

When selecting cookie sheets, keep in mind that there should be 2 inches of space on all sides of the sheet when it is sitting on the oven shelf, for air circulation. If your oven is big enough, you can go with the 17-inch x 14-inch sheet for your large size. If not, choose 16- x 14-inch, or even 15- x 13-inch, pans. Medium cookie sheets can be the next size down from your large sheets, or significantly smaller; it’s up to you.

Silicone bakeware is flexible and may be difficult to maneuver into and out of the oven. Additionally, some types of batter have a tendency to stick to the surface of the silicone bakeware.

If choosing Pyrex bakeware, select the clear, untinted variety so you can easily see how well your crusts are browning.