Baking

Couplers are optional tools for your pastry bags that allow you to switch pastry tips after the filling is placed into a pastry bag. Pastry tips can be still used without using a coupler, but you will lose the chance to change tips after the pastry bag is filled (because prior to filling you will need to slide onto a pastry bag).

Any good pastry tip set has at least one to two couplers included in packaging, but it is still good to purchase at least one or two extra in case the plastic part of your original coupler’s breaks. Since the pastry tips are coming in 3 major sizes (small, medium, and large) make sure that you buy a coupler of the same size to match your pastry tip.

Read more about pastry tips here.

Read more about pastry bags here.
See section “How to Work with a Pastry Bag” here.

A disher (with a trigger) is sometimes called an ice cream scoop or a scoop with a trigger or ice cream scoops/dishers.

Most of us have a disher at home for ice cream serving, but they are very good for multiple other tasks. A disher helps you to increase your speed and productivity in the kitchen by having uniformed portions with minimum effort and without needing a scale!

They are extremely easy to use for scooping ingredients and releasing thanks to the trigger (does not apply for triggerless ones).

The best for any household would be to have a combination of 3 of the most useful sizes: 1 OZ, 2 OZ, and 4 OZ or 5.33 OZ.

1 OZ disher is best for:

1. Scooping and portioning cookie dough
2. Scooping and portioning deli salads or spreads right on the bread
3. Scooping smaller meatballs
4. Scooping and portioning sour cream (for example, on the top of a soup

2 OZ disher is best for:

1. Scooping and portioning larger meatballs
2. Scooping perfect portions of ice cream
3. Scooping and portioning smaller portions of potato salad
4. Scooping and portioning cookie dough for jumbo cookies
5. Scooping batter for regular cupcakes or muffins

4 OZ or 5.33 OZ disher is best for:

1. Scooping and portioning regular portions of potato salad
2. Creating unified burger patties for beef, veggie, or salmon burgers (and other burgers too)
3. Scooping batter for large cupcakes or muffins
4. Scooping jumbo portions of ice cream

The selection of material is your choice but selecting NSF certified products suitable for restaurants will give you higher durability and a longer lifetime.

A stainless-steel dough cutter is a very effective tool especially for portioning dense dough, ie., pasta dough. It can also be used for shaping and manipulating all other dough, such as bread dough.

However, if you have a denser dough, you can substitute this tool with a knife, but this cutter affords you even more opportunities than a knife. You can use a stainless-steel dough cutter to manipulate your ingredients, shape dough, etc. And keep in mind that the stainless-steel dough cutter is sharp, so it can damage your countertop.

I would recommend this tool only to those who are very frequent bakers– to all others, I would recommend purchasing more bowl scrapers.

When you work with yeasty dough, you need a place to let your dough rise to get volume. The easiest is to use a bowl from your kitchen mixer if it is big enough, if the recipe allows you, and if you are not going to need your kitchen mixer bowl anytime soon.

If you need to find an alternative solution for a kitchen mixer bowl, you can use a regular mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap. This will work well but it is not too elegant of a solution since it is not stackable and it is harder to place it into the oven to rise if needed.

Best for proofing dough is to select a professional see-through container (sometimes called a rising bucket) with gradation and with the lid (often sold separately). These are the main advantages:

• The lid will allow you to close it easily without using plastic film.
• It is stackable and more convenient to fit into the oven in comparison to a mixing bowl.
• Because it is see-through and has gradations, it is super easy to monitor the progress of the dough rising (if the dough has doubled or tripled).
• If not used for rising, it can be also used like a practical food container.

How to select the best rising bucket?

• Always select NSF certified which will provide you with better performance and higher durability.
• Always select BPA free to make sure that you are not going to expose your body to chemicals present in non-BPA free containers. BPA containers are usually only partially see-through, but it will still provide you with good enough visibility of the contents.
• Make sure to buy one with matching lids (lids often sold separately).
• Buy square containers since it is more space efficient than round versions.
• The size and amount should match your baking habits, but it is always good to have a slightly bigger version that is a size of your dough after rising to make sure that your dough will have “no chance to escape”. Best is to have at least one 6 QT that will satisfy your needs for most baking requirements. If you bake as much as I do, you may also want to consider adding a 12 QT container that will be great for rising up to 3 larger bread doughs at one time or any other larger quantity of dough.

Icing spatulas are sometimes called cake spatulas and are very important to properly decorate cakes as well as performing other tasks in the kitchen. I like to use mine to also collect freshly cut cookies from the countertop (before baking when they are fragile) or to prepare crepes on my crepe maker.

Flat icing spatulas are made in multiple sizes anywhere from 4” up to 14”. Most important is to have a 12” spatula because it is large enough to comfortably decorate a whole cake and also have one small 6” spatula that will be very convenient for any other applications.

You should purchase commercial versions since they last significantly longer than those made just for household use.

A self-standing kitchen mixer is an essential tool in any kitchen. It is great not just for bakers but for regular cooking as well. There are a lot of different brands of kitchen self-standing mixers. If your budget is tight or space limited, you can also consider the small and budget friendly replacement — the hand mixer.

Self-standing mixers have a generally longer lifetime than inexpensive hand mixers since they are often built from better materials and have stronger engines. Another very important advantage of having a self-standing mixer is that you don’t have to hold them while processing, which will give you the possibility of performing other tasks at the same time.

I have had a chance to work with multiple kinds of kitchen mixers and I would recommend one from the KitchenAid brand since they perform generally well. They are generally well built, and they are the most versatile — buying additional attachments you can turn your mixer into multiple other tools, such as a juicer, pasta machine, etc. This saves money and space. But even with recommending KitchenAid, I have some reservations, which you should know about before purchasing it.

My reservations:

While KitchenAid in general makes very good mixers, none of them will last forever (unless you don’t use them very often). Based on my personal experience, the best options are the basic line called Classic, rather than the Artisan and Commercial. My first KitchenAid (a Classic) lasted 4 years of extremely intense usage (including usage in my restaurant) before one gear inside fell apart. On the bright side, with about only 30 minutes of my time, which included a little thinking, watching videos, and $10 for a new gear, I was able to replace the broken gear and make it work like new again. So that problem was totally manageable.

The professional 600 was a different story all together. Even though it is called a professional, has a professional look, and even has specifications which are better than the Artisans, it is easily the worst KitchenAid mixer line I have ever experienced. My reason for this may surprise you: it is extremely poorly built inside. I had about 7 total and some of them didn’t even survive one cycle of home baking. One even stopped working within only 30 minutes of light home usage. The others lasted longer, but not long enough. They always fell apart inside almost instantly, which I found very shocking especially considering that we are talking about the KitchenAid brand.

Over time I ended up gradually returning them all and trying to get new ones with the thought that I may just have had defective units from an otherwise great device. After going through about seven of them, I gave up on the “professional” line. I could possibly just be very unlucky, and have only gotten machines made with defective parts, but no matter what, the short life of these mixers is why I simply cannot recommend the professional line to anyone.

If you hear about tool that it is professional, it gives you the feeling that it is something well-built, which is designed to perform in a professional environment, but if you look at the fine print attached to the KitchenAid Professional book, it says “for light usage only”. So why mislead people by using the mixer name “Professional”?

Pros of KitchenAid:

• They are very space efficient.
• They have an incredible amount of additional attachments. This dramatically increases the abilities of the mixer and saves you some money and space since you don’t have to buy separate appliances.
• Even if they are considered generally expensive, you can buy them cheaply in special promotions. A few times, I paid less than $200 for the basic model during special promotions.
• Even though they don’t last forever, they last longer and handle more use than their competitors — so you save lot of money in the long run.
• They are easy and cheap to fix when they break. The parts are available everywhere for a fair price and replacing them is very easy. And, everything is even easier with the endless fixing video tutorials online.
• The best KitchenAid I have ever had is a commercial one. I have had one for my home usage for a little while now and it works great. The motor is powerful, it delivers consistent mixing, and the whole mixer doesn’t seem to have any issues at all. I have strong reasons to believe that this will be the longest lasting KitchenAid in my house.

Which one to buy? If you cook for a small family or your budget is tighter, I would definitely encourage you to buy the KitchenAid Classic. It has small mixing bowl (4.5 QT), but the motor is still fairly strong, and the price is great (it is the cheapest KitchenAid out there). It will do the work with the same results like other good KitchenAids, but with a smaller bowl (so you will have a smaller amount of the final product).

If your budget is not limited, you can consider the KitchenAid Artisan, which for an approximate additional $100, gives you a little stronger motor, (but not significantly stronger), 0.5 QT larger bowl, a selection of 20 colors, a handle on the bowl, and a splash guard with the package.

In my opinion, none of the previously mentioned things are worth that additional amount since the only extra thing included is the extra splash guard, which you can buy separately for just for $10 along with the handle on the bowl. The splash guard is helpful, but you can live without it. If you like the wider selection of colors and have extra money, you can buy the Artisan.

If you are cooking for a larger family or if you just simply cook a lot and have it within your budget, your choice should be the KitchenAid Commercial. It is a truly commercial and NSF-certified mixer, which is very durable, extremely strong, and is just a pleasure to work with. At the same time, it is still fairly compact, even for a home kitchen. And what I especially enjoy is that I can do a double batch of bread by taking advantage of its’ 8 QT bowl. Considering the quality, capacity, and NSF certification, the price is justified. And, of course, all original additional attachments still fit (with the exception of the splash guard).

Do not buy the KitchenAid Artisan Mini since it just a more expensive, smaller version of the KitchenAid Classic. For about an extra $60 you will get the same engine strength and performance, but a 3.5 QT bowl which is simply just too small for almost anything (even if you are single person). The whole machine is just slightly smaller, but not enough to save a significant amount of space on your countertop. The only thing you get extra is the possibility to select from 10 colors, along with a cute compact look.

Kitchen Mixer attachments in packaging

Most kitchen mixers come with 3 attachments in the box:

• Whisk attachment (read more here)
• Flat beater attachment(read more here)
• Hook Attachment (read more here)

Some kitchen mixers also come with a splash guard (read more here).

The loaf pan. That rectangular workhorse, often tucked away in the back of a cupboard, might not be the flashiest piece of kitchen equipment. It doesn’t boast the high-tech features of a stand mixer or the sleek design of a chef’s knife. Yet, this unassuming vessel is responsible for a wide array of culinary delights, from fluffy quick breads and yeasted loaves to hearty meatloaves and decadent terrines. Let’s take a deep dive into the world of the loaf pan, exploring its history, versatility, and the nuances that make it an indispensable tool for any home cook.

A History Baked In

The concept of baking in a contained vessel dates back to ancient times. Early civilizations used clay pots and molds to cook food over open fires. The modern loaf pan, however, can trace its lineage more directly to the development of bread baking as a specialized craft. As bread became a staple food, bakers sought ways to create consistent shapes and textures. The rectangular form of the loaf pan allowed for even heat distribution and easy slicing, leading to its widespread adoption.

Over the centuries, the loaf pan evolved. Early versions were made from materials like earthenware and tin. The advent of industrialization brought about mass production, with materials like aluminum and steel becoming commonplace. Today, loaf pans are available in a wide variety of materials, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Material Matters: Choosing the Right Loaf Pan

The material can significantly impact the outcome of your baked goods. Here’s a breakdown of the most common options:

• Aluminum: A popular choice due to its excellent heat conductivity, aluminum loaf pans heat up quickly and evenly, resulting in a well-browned crust. They are also lightweight and affordable. However, they can react with acidic ingredients, potentially imparting a metallic taste.
• Anodized Aluminum: This type of aluminum undergoes a process that creates a harder, non-reactive surface. It retains the excellent heat conductivity of regular aluminum while being more durable and resistant to scratching and staining.
• Steel: Known for its durability and even heating, steel versions are a reliable choice. They can withstand high temperatures and are less prone to warping than aluminum. However, they can be heavier and may take slightly longer to heat up.
• Glass: Glass version offer excellent visibility, allowing you to monitor the browning process. They heat up gradually and retain heat well. However, they are more fragile than metal pans and can be prone to thermal shock if exposed to sudden temperature changes.
• Ceramic: Similar to glass, ceramic versions are attractive and provide even heating. They are also non-reactive, making them suitable for acidic ingredients. However, like glass, they are susceptible to breakage and require careful handling.
• Silicone: Relatively new to the scene, silicone versions are prized for their non-stick properties and flexibility. They are also easy to clean and store. However, they can sometimes lack the structural support needed for certain recipes, and some bakers find they don’t brown as effectively as metal pans.

Size and Shape: Finding the Perfect Fit

It come in various sizes, with the most common being 9×5 inches, 8.5×4.5 inches, and smaller specialty sizes. The size you choose will depend on the recipe you’re using. Using the wrong size pan can lead to an overcooked or undercooked loaf.

While the standard rectangular shape is most prevalent, there are also variations like Pullman pans, which feature straight sides and a lid, resulting in a square loaf with a fine crumb, perfect for sandwiches.

Beyond Bread: The Versatility of the Loaf Pan

While synonymous with bread baking, its utility extends far beyond yeasted loaves. Its rectangular shape and even heating make it ideal for a wide range of dishes:

• Quick Breads: Banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread – these moist and flavorful treats are a loaf pan staple.
• Meatloaf: The loaf pan’s shape is perfect for shaping and baking a classic meatloaf, ensuring even cooking and easy slicing.
• Terrines and Pâtés: These elegant appetizers often rely on the loaf pan for their distinctive shape and presentation.
• Cakes: Pound cakes, coffee cakes, and even some layer cakes can be baked in a loaf pan for a unique twist.
• Frozen Desserts: Ice cream cakes, semifreddos, and other frozen treats can be molded and frozen in a loaf pan for easy serving.

Tips for Loaf Pan Success

To get the most out of your loaf pan, keep these tips in mind:

• Grease and Flour: Properly greasing and flouring the pan (or using parchment paper) is essential for preventing sticking and ensuring a clean release.
• Don’t Overfill: Follow the recipe’s instructions regarding batter or dough quantity. Overfilling can result in spillage and uneven baking.
• Cooling Time: Allow your baked goods to cool in the pan for a few minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack. This helps them retain their shape.
• Proper Cleaning: Clean your loaf pan according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Avoid using abrasive cleaners on non-stick surfaces.

Conclusion

It is a true kitchen essential. Its simple design belies its versatility and importance in creating a wide array of culinary creations. From everyday bread to special occasion treats, the loaf pan is a testament to the fact that sometimes, the simplest tools are the most indispensable. So, the next time you reach for your trusty loaf pan, take a moment to appreciate its history, its versatility, and the delicious possibilities it holds. You might just find yourself inspired to try something new and expand your culinary horizons, one loaf at a time.

Measuring cups are very essential in any kitchen. They are great for wet and dry measuring of your ingredients.

If you want to make processes in your kitchen even smoother, you should have at least two sets of measuring cups with the idea to have one set for wet ingredients and the second for dry.

Each good measuring cup set should include the sizes ¼, 1/3, ½, and 1 cup. If you do a lot of baking, you can also consider buying some which measure up to 2 cups (sold separately).

You can buy measuring cups from the material you prefer. I would recommend stainless steel versions for higher durability.

The selection of material is your choice, but selecting a professional grade will give you higher durability and a longer lifetime.

This clear plastic measuring pitcher (sometimes called a measuring plastic cup) is very convenient for measuring liquid ingredients, and can be used for even more than that. I also use mine for preparing dressings (in combination with an immersion blender) or for prepping egg brush before brushing my buns.

You can purchase multiple sizes, but most convenient for households will be 4 Cup large.

This clear measuring pitcher enables you to easily see your contents and levels reached (amount).

The selection of material is your choice, but selecting an NSF certified product suitable for restaurants will give you higher durability and a longer lifetime.