This is a continuation of last week blog post in going from basic to intermediate in building arsenal for baking projects. Think about these six additional baking tools and specialized equipment as essential component to level up the baking game. Only the first two of six have been discussed in the last blog post, so let us continue with the rest.
1. Stand Mixer
2. Candy Thermometer
3. Palette Knives
A pallet knifes is wide, flat knife with a rounded tip on both sides and had no sharp edges. It is built with a flexible, thin stainless steel blade with a handle. This baking tool is also referred as icing spatula, frosting spatula, baking spatula, and cake spatula. Cake spatula is available in various blade lengths from 4 to 14 inches and blade width from ¼ inch to 2 inches wide. The blade shape comes in two primary types: offset and flat or angled and straight. The offset blade is slightly bent that it rest about ½ inch below the handle, while flat blade extends straight from the handle, like a large flat butter knife.
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| Offset Spatula |
A cake spatula is an essential for baking because of
its versatility, and choosing one would be similar in choosing a mixer in which
would be based on the task it be performing. As well as, it is like choosing a
knife when considering a comfortable hand grip. A long offset spatula is ideal
for tasks when you need distance from the surface to prevent touching the
ingredients, like spreading and leveling batter in a pan, frosting the top of
cakes and pies, and lifting and moving slices or whole food item like flipping
a pancake. While a small or medium straight spatula works well for frosting the
side of a cake, detailed finish like smoothing the frosting, swirling peak on a
meringue, and loosening the edges of a cake from its pan, and buttering bread.
So most experience bakers suggest to keep a large 7.75-inch angled spatula and
a smaller 4.5-inch straight one.
4. Rubber Spatula
So far three types of spatula had been introduced in Kitchen Essential articles. And in this article would be introducing the fourth, it would be a bit controversial as the quality of this spatula is required for a certain baking technique, specifically folding. Folding needs a sturdy and strong spatula that would grip egg white foam well. Those heat resistant ones, like the silicone spatula, are too flimsy that makes poor batter folding, but the rubber spatula is sturdy and effective but usually are non heat-resistant and likely melts or deforms in high temperature. This type of spatula is long, with wooden or plastic handle topped with a flexible rubbery textured scraping blade. It also has other functions which are scraping and leveling a batter before baking. For baking, a large rubber spatula with comfortable grip is most ideal.
5. Pastry Bag and Piping Tips
Pastry bags, piping tips and clear plastic wrap is a cake decorator starter kit, but these items are versatile that could be used in piping whipped cream and mashed potatoes, filling baked goods, and forming pastry batters like doughnut and churos. Just like any tool, these items come in different types of material, size and shape.
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| How to assemble a pastry bag and piping tip with a coupler |
There are 4 types of pastry bag based on the materials it is made of, which are canvas, polyurethane, plastic coated and disposable. A pastry bag made of canvas is strong, withstand heat and environmentally friendly, that is ideal for piping thick dough but not recommended for oily product as it may leak. Moreover, polyurethane and plastic coated are of medium strength, more flexible, washable and could be use multiple times, good for piping fatty or oily products. Lastly, the disposable pastry bag may be convenient, sanitary and time saving but it could be expensive for daily use. Plus, there is a much better alternative for disposable pastry bag and that is clear plastic wrap.
Most piping tips are made of metal either stainless or nickel plated steel. It is available in variety of size and shape of their openings, in which they are classified into different families. The piping tip family produces a similar design and further classified with a number. Please see below, a chart of different families of piping tip and its common uses.
These items are sold either individually or in set. Most starter kit has 1 or 2 polyurethane pastry bags, a coupler, and 3-4 common type of piping tips, a plain or round, star, and rose. It is important in picking the right pastry bag and piping tips based on which best suit one’s task and needs. This would maximize its functionality and avoid wastage.
6. Turn Table
This baker tool made it on this list because I am fond of layer cakes and of the rounded type. I find spinning a layer cake to apply and smooth-finish icings meditatively relaxing. But more calming is eating a slice of a layer cake without the guilt. It is satisfying to devour a cake with the equal and ample amount of creamy frosting and contentment of an illusion that one only dabble a good small portion.
Most home-bakers recommend, if one could find, a 12-inch round, cast iron turntable with 1/8-inch aluminum top and wide variety of scale of measurement. The additional weight brings stability. For pretty ones, it could double as a cake stand, but if one is not in use for dessert, it can double as a lazy Susan. Speaking of cake stand, it is also referred as revolving cake stand, to avoid confusing from the record player turn table and industrial equipment.
Majority of these tools and equipment are what a pâtissière needs to get started decorating baked goods. In purchasing any gadget, quality is always on top of the list, including durability, functionality and versatility of the product. Expensive and trust-worthy product pays off in the long run, hence a wise and viable investment.
Are there baking tools and equipment that need to be included on this list? Please share your thoughts and post comments, reactions, inquiries, suggestions and corrections below. And do not forget to follow to inspire and motivate which in the long run help build and create better content. Thank you!
As always enjoy baking!
References
1. The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2013). Encyclopedia Britannica. [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com
2. Craftsy (n.d.). Learn to Cake Decorate Supply Set. [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.craftsy.com/cake-decorating/supplies/learn-to-cake-decorate-supply-set/486428
3. Parks, S. (n.d.). BraveTart’s Essential Baking and Pastry Gear. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/08/guide-to-essential-baking-tools.html
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