Sweet Success: Top 10 Baking Tools

After the success of the Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe this holiday season, I received some questions about appropriate tools. So, I thought I would take you inside the Sweets by Chy kitchen and introduce you to my little friends…(evil grin).

Just so you’re well prepared, I want you to know this list can go on and on ….and on. However, I will try to stick with the basics and we can build as we go, in the future. So today we will go over the mere basics that I would not be able to function without and are essential to baking basics.

Oh! One more thing, these are my personal favorites and everything here is my opinion. You are free to use whatever brand you like and determine, if the item is worth your investment. As my mother use to say “there is more than one way to skin a cat.” I never thought about how horrible that phrase is until I just typed it. Yikes! Please tell me my mother wasn’t the only one to use this phrase.
Okay. Here we go.
1. Numero Uno. My Main Girl. My Ride Never Die. The Beautiful. Good and Faithful.  Some would call her a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. I call her Ruby, and she’s all mine! This is my most used kitchen appliance. Let me tell you, I jumped for JOY when I received this amazing gift from my brother and sister as a wedding gift. They don’t even know what seed they planted with this gift. I’m forever grateful. Before Ruby, I only made box cakes for my husband. Receiving a stand mixer made me want to bake even more and bake things worthy of touching Ruby. So there you have it…this is why I bake scratch only. Box cake is not worthy. Is this where I say sorry, not sorry? Meh…

2.Quality Baking Sheets This is so important because it determines how your product bakes. I prefer light colored metal pans because dark pans may brown your baked goods too fast, due to the fat content. I also recommend that you get something sturdy that won’t flex or buckle when you pick it up from one side. I suggest the brand Nordic Ware.

3.Quality Baking Pans  I love my Fat Daddio’s cake pans they cook evenly and are very sturdy. If taken care of they will last a very long time. These are 8inches round and 3inches in height. I love their high sides because it allows me to bake a nice tall layer cake. Don’t make the mistake I did and put your pans in the dishwasher. As you can see, my pans coating has been stripped away.

4.Kitchen Scale  I have to admit I’ve become one of those uppity bakers that have traded their measuring cups for an Ozeri Kitchen Scale. It’s just so much easier and consistent. In my kitchen consistency is key and Girlfriend (me) runs a tight ship! Hey, you’re only a first customer once so you want to make sure it’s right the first time, and every time they come back it’s the same. Seriously, buy the scale it will save you time and you won’t have to worry about keeping up and cleaning measuring cups. The best thing you can do is get an inexpensive one that works perfectly. The one caveat is that you would need to convert your recipe ingredients to grams or ounces depending on what you’re measuring. I also measure my cookie dough before baking to ensure every cookie has the same weight.

5. Measuring Spoons You will still need measuring spoons to measure small amounts of liquids. I’m obviously obsessed with consistency so I don’t just go pouring anything into my batter or cookie dough without measuring. I know some that would say, you can’t go wrong with vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste so just pour until you’re happy. Whatever floats your boat. I just want to say, when making cookie dough the more liquid you add the thinner your cookie will be, in my experience. Measure accordingly. I have KitchenAid Measuring Spoons however, I suggest engraved measuring spoons. Your measurements won’t be washed away and they will last you a lifetime.

6. Oven Thermometer   The absolute best investment I could’ve purchased. Seriously! Short story… I specialize in cookies however, it didn’t start off that way. I was constantly making cookies that were under baked in the center, and flat. I didn’t understand why until I started to do some research and found out my oven temperature was not calibrated. Actually, found out my oven is about 5-7 degrees off temperature. I also discovered that when my oven beeps to let me know it is preheated, it is wrong. Dead wrong! About 25 degrees off. Needless to say…I no longer go by the temperature my oven says. I only trust my handy dandy TruTemp Oven Thermometer.

7.Silicone Baking Sheet  Inexpensive and replaces parchment paper. My truth is, I use these because of how they make my cookies perfectly golden brown on the bottom. Parchment paper always yields a light colored…not so perfect cookie bottom. Oh, I forgot to say the Silicone Baking Mats are nonstick. Score!

8. Cooling Racks I almost forgot these babies! I mean how can I live without them. Please purchase cooling racks, you will need/use them. I like the ones that sit at least 3 inches up to give whatever you’re baking, room to properly cool. The ones that don’t allow enough space create steam because there isn’t enough room between the racks and your kitchen counter. Which means wet cookies (not good eats) I suggest this Bakers Rack.

9. Hand grater/Zester  This could be seen as optional to some but for me it’s a must. When I bake with citrus I only use fresh produce. An OXO Zester is a handy tool to get some extra flavor added to your sweets without using artificial flavoring.

10. Cookie Scooper Last but not least, to make cookies or ration your cupcake batter in the pans, I suggest you get a good quality Cookie Scoop. This is how I get my cookies perfectly round and have an even bake every time!

Well Sweeties, there you have it my personal top ten baking tools to be great in the kitchen! Did I miss your favorite? Comment below and let me know what tool/gadget you absolutely can’t bake without.

No fluff…Just great desserts
Sweets by Chy💗