Baking is a pastime that holds a special place in many of our lives. Whether it’s sitting by our grandmas feet as they bake a heartwarming apple pie, or our first attempt at making butterfly cupcakes, many of our baking memories will be fond (and messy) ones. If you want to bring the magic of baking to your own home but aren’t sure where to begin, here’s our guide to the most essential items in the baker’s kitchen.
Baking encompasses a lot of dishes, and in order to bake them at all, you need the right ovenware! Non-stick tins can be picked up for little cost, so you can easily build up your stock of versatile dishes.
Cooling racks help prevent the infamous ‘soggy bottom’ in your cakes and pastries, by allowing air to circulate evenly around the food. Most bakers have a few of these on hand.
Greaseproof paper is an essential for stopping your carefully baked treats from sticking to the tray and falling apart! Cheap to buy and easy to use, it saves you from having to manually grease dishes and is a staple for any baker.
A quick and easy way to measure out amounts that aren’t suitable for a scale. Many recipes now call for ‘cup’ measurements, so having a set of these to hand will save you the pain of having to convert each quantity of ingredients.
A baker’s kitchen will need mixing bowls of different sizes, preferably heat proof. From mixing dough to melting chocolate, solid bowls made from metal, ceramic or glass are an absolute essential for any baker.
Whether it’s rolling delicate icing or heavy pastry, a rolling pin will see you through plenty of delicious treats. Choose from ceramic or wooden, depending on your budget.
Even if you can measure out your favourite recipe by heart, any cook will need scales to successfully create new pies and cakes to their hearts content. Digital scales are more accurate, whilst traditional scales are more affordable.
Whisks are key to variety of baking dishes, and many couldn’t be created without one. Keeping mixes light and airy, they add volume and lift to your food. Whether it’s whipping cream or beating eggs, both electric and handheld whisks are staples for any baker - no matter how amateur!
Now you've got all the basic tools, you can start making yourself some delicious, homemade treats! Check out our guides on Perfect Pancakes, Yummy Mug Cakes, and even Gluten Free Baking to get some ideas for all kinds of diets!
