10 Things Every Baker Needs

My list is in no special order; however I feel that this is a pretty comprehensive list of the basic needs of every baker. Even if you’re not using a state of the art, super high powered, “it mixes, it chops, it makes julienne fries, and it walks your dog” type counter top mixer you can make some pretty awesome baked goods with a few simples and important tools.

1. Measuring cups & spoons – liquid and dry measure are both really important. I actually have 2 sets of dry measure in my kitchen. One 18/10 stainless steel and one plastic. There’s no real rhyme or reason I have one or the other however I can use the stainless steel ones on the stove top. I use them to melt butter in small quantities when I don’t want to do it in the microwave. I also have 6 liquid measuring cups. Why? Because I can. They’re all different sizes, from 1 cup to 4 cups, 3 plastic and 3 glass. I actually find myself using the glass more often, no real reason except that they’re in the drawer with the prep bowls.

This may go without saying, but the spoon you use to eat your cereal is not a measuring spoon. Although we call it a “tea spoon” it is really not a teaspoon measure sadly. You need actual measuring spoons, they’re not particularly expensive. If you buy mental go for a heavy 18/10 stainless steel, the steel content will be marked somewhere on the spoons. You want a heavier spoon so you don’t bend it out of shape when you’re trying to scoop out particularly hard baking soda. 

2. A butter knife – this goes with the measuring cups. When you’re making cookies or bread or anything else that you’re using a dry measuring cup for you should always run the straight side of a butter knife over the top to clear the excess off the top to get the exact right measure.  

3. 2 Heavy jelly roll pans/cookie sheets – I use cookie sheets for all kinds of things, to bake cookies (obviously), to catch the drippings from a casserole or pie, to bake loaves of round bread, or to lay out gnocchi to freeze it. 

4. 2 round cake pans 8 or 9 inch – not just for cake anymore! I used mine for cinnamon rolls and for a custard water bath. Even with all these uses however; you really never know when you’re going to be called upon to bake a great cake and a good standard is to have round pans. It’s the most common household birthday cake shape; unless you have 30 people in your household, then you need a sheet cake every time.

5. Pie pans (at least 1 if not 2, I think I have 4)– I personally love my clear Pyrex pie pans. They take the heat really well and they look nice on the table. You can also use them to my layered dips, I think it’s nice when you can actually see the layers so you have some idea what you’re about to get on your chip!

6. A timer – I know this should already be in your kitchen if you’ve read my “10things every kitchen needs” but I say it again for anyone who might have missed it! (but how could you have?) You need a timer. I know most baked goods say “X time to Y time, or until golden brown” so some other description, but what if you’re watching TV? Or got lost in a book and forgot to check on your muffins? Then all your hard work would be for naught. You’d have to throw them away, and you’d be pissed, or at least I would be. There should be at least 1 timer in your kitchen, on your microwave. But you’ll need more than that. I personally like multi timers, I have a quad timer, so I can have 3 or 4 things going at once and know how long everything had left! It’s great! 

7. 2 Good loaf pans – almost every bread recipe makes 2 loaves of bread, so if you’re going to buy one you might as well buy 2 so you’re not stuck with ½ a batch of bread dough that you can’t bake because you didn’t get an extra loaf pan. I’m currently using Calphalon non stick loaf pans. I don’t think they need to be non stick because I always grease the pan with Crisco anyway but it’s a nice added feature.

8. Pizza stone – because I’ve lived in an apartment for so long I’ve never had a new oven so I’ve always kept a pizza stone in my oven. It never comes out. Leave in on the floor of the oven in an attempt to keep the oven temperature fairly stable. Now that I have a gas stove again I’m feeling a little more confident about the stability of the oven temp but it’s still nice to have in there. I’ve never used mine to actually cook pizza, just to regulate temps! 

9. Whisk – I know almost everyone beats their eggs with a fork but it’s nice to have a dedicated tool for the job right? Plus if you need to beat to a foam or a meringue you already have the tool on hand. If you’re making a meringue I’d suggest an electric hand mixer, it’ll make the job much easier, but if you don’t have/don’t want/or can’t afford an electric hand mixer you certainly can do it by hand, I know the Amish can do it so why can’t we?  

10. Lots of prep bowls – I use bowls of all different sizes when I’m baking. I try to measure out all my ingredients before I start so I know I have enough of everything and I’m prepared when it’s time to start adding the ingredients to the work bowl. Some things need to be added in a certain order or at a certain time so it’s nice to have everything laid out and ready. Often I find myself using almost every bowl in the kitchen!

I don’t think I’ve missed any of the truly important basics. If I have let me know in comments!! Of course from here you can go all different routes with bunt pans, popover tins, muffin pans, and all different shapes and sizes of cake pan but this list is what I classify as the basics.

Now that you have all the tools to bake I have one thing to say in the words of a wise man who loved food:

“GET IN THE KITCHEN AND MAKE ME SOME PIE” – Cartman, South Park