Most home bakers, especially beginners, tend to get stuff that is not even necessary while missing out on the baking essentials. You can become an expert home baker only if you have access to all the necessary items required for baking. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, this list of essential baking items will definitely help you.
Must-Have Items for Baking
1. An Oven Thermometer
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Oven Thermometers are literally the most underrated items in any baker’s kitchen. But let us fix this misunderstanding; an oven thermometer is something you definitely need as a home baker. Unless you have an advanced, regularly calibrated brand new oven, the temperature of your oven is most likely inaccurate. For example, if you have set your oven at 300° F, it might not actually be the same temperature inside the oven; there might be a slight (by 10°) difference in the temperature.
Remember that a little fluctuation in the oven’s temperature can waste both the expensive ingredients and hours of work done on the recipe. The only way to know the right temperature is through an oven thermometer which should be present in every home baker’s kitchen.
2. A Food Scale
While baking, one can never work without a food scale because a little change in the number of ingredients can ruin the whole recipe. Some may think that measuring with measuring cups can be more convenient than using a food scale, but there can be issues. Measuring with cups may be inaccurate, but when you measure with a scale, an ounce stays an ounce, and a gram stays a gram, nothing more, nothing less.
In baking, precision matters a lot, and a small kitchen scale could save your recipes. We believe every home baker should own one food scale.
3. A Hand Mixer
Stand mixers are great, but a hand mixer is also essential for a home baker’s kitchen. Once you have a hand mixer in your kitchen, you will definitely use it more than your stand mixer because of its ease. If you can afford both, great, but if you have to go with only one of them, we suggest getting a hand mixer.
Hand mixers are portable, easy to use, and economical compared to stand mixers. They work great, especially when working with small amounts of ingredients.
4. Cooling Rack
Cakes, cupcakes, bread, and muffins need to be cooled down out of the pans. If you leave these items in the pans, the process would be slow, and the bottom may even get soggy. This is why it is important to have at least two cooling racks.
Cooling racks allow the air to pass through your baked items thoroughly and cool them down without messing up the quality. You can even use the cooling racks for cookies; they are perfect for any baked item.
5. A Sifter
Most baking recipes require sifting the dry ingredients, such as flour, cocoa powder, and sugar to prevent lumps. Sifting aerates the ingredients and eliminates any lumps so that your recipe doesn’t go to the bin. You can either use a sifter or a sieve cup; it depends upon your preference.
6. Baking Pans
How can a home baker’s kitchen be complete without baking pans? You will need different baking pans for different recipes, so make sure you get the ones compatible with the recipes you usually make.
It is recommended to get all kinds of baking pans, such as cake pan, muffin pan, square pans, pie plate, baking pan, and loaf pan. You can also get a multipurpose baking sheet if you cannot afford all different kinds of baking pans.
7. Spatulas and Whisks
One spatula and one whisk wouldn’t work for a professional home baker; you need more than one. You should have at least three or four whisks and spatulas. From stirring, mixing, scrapping to whipping, all you need are a spatula set and whisks, so don’t be shy and buy some more (if you can afford them).
8. Measuring Cups/Spoons
While food scale is essential, measuring cups are also important. You will require both measuring cups and spoons for almost every baking recipe. The truth is, a baker’s kitchen cannot be complete without measuring cups and spoons. You can measure both wet and dry ingredients with measuring cups and spoons, so it’s actually very convenient to at least have one set in your kitchen.
9. Rolling Pin
From rolling out cookie dough to pie crust, every home baker needs a rolling pin in their kitchen. There are several kinds of rolling pins available, and you can choose between stainless steel, marble, and wooden rolling pins.
10. Mixing Bowls
You wouldn’t be able to mix your ingredients without mixing bowls, so yes, they are essential for any home baker’s kitchen. To be a baker is like being a parent to mixing bowls, as you take care of different bowls of different sizes at the same time (pretty much exactly how parents take care of different sized kids at the same time). We recommend getting stainless steel bowls, as they are durable and dishwasher safe too.
11. Silicone Baking Mat
Silicone baking mats are great to keep the baking pans intact and perfect for a longer time. Moreover, they are very easy to clean. These mats are a permanent alternative to parchment paper, as home bakers usually bake a lot, and it is good to save money by using silicone baking mats instead of parchment paper.
12. Nonstick Baking Spray
Baking without a nonstick baking spray can cause issues, and no baker wants to ruin the baking pans they bought with love. This is why we recommend professional bakers use nonstick baking spray every time they bake something without parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
13. Oven Mitts
It is important to keep your safety into account, so to keep your hands safe from the heat, make sure you use oven mitts.
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Other Things One May Need as a Home Baker
- Kitchen scissors
- Parchment paper
- Pastry bag
- Pastry brush
- Pastry Blender
- Zester or rasp grater
- Citrus Juicer
Conclusion
Baking is an art, and every art needs some tools to come out perfect. Home bakers work in their personalized kitchens, which is why it is important to have every necessary tool required for baking. Before you start shopping for your home baking kitchen, make a checklist with all the needed things listed so that you do not forget or leave out anything. You can also use this article as a checklist.