Baking supplies are the essential ingredients and equipment needed to create delicious baked goods. Here's a breakdown of the key categories:
Baking Ingredients:
- Flour (all-purpose, bread flour, cake flour, pastry flour, whole wheat flour, etc.) provides structure to baked goods.
- Sugar (granulated, caster sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar) sweetens baked goods and adds texture.
- Baking powder and Baking soda are leavening agents that help baked goods rise.
- Yeast is a leavening agent used for breads and rolls.
- Salt enhances flavors and balances sweetness.
- Spices and Flavorings (vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) add depth and complexity of flavor.
- Cocoa Powder is used for chocolate-flavored baked goods.
- Chocolate Chips and Sprinkles add pops of flavor and fun to baked goods.
- Eggs bind ingredients together and add richness.
- Milk, Cream, Buttermilk add moisture, fat, and flavor.
- Butter and Shortening add fat, moisture, and tenderness.
Baking Tools:
- Mixing Bowls in various sizes are used for holding and mixing ingredients.
- Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons ensure accurate proportions in recipes.
- Whisks are used for beating eggs, incorporating air into batters, and smoothing out lumps.
- Mixers (stand mixers and hand mixers) save time and effort when mixing ingredients.
- Rolling Pins are used for rolling out dough.
- Spatulas (rubber and metal) help with folding, scraping bowls, and spreading batter.
- Pastry Brushes are used for brushing melted butter or egg wash onto pastries.
- Dough Scrapers help with cutting and shaping dough.
- Cookie Cutters are used to cut out cookies in various shapes.
- Pastry Bags and Piping Tips are used for decorating cakes, cupcakes, and other pastries.
- Offset Spatulas are ideal for frosting cakes and cookies.
- Bench Scrapers help with cleaning work surfaces and shaping dough.
- Flour Sifters and Sieves help to aerate flour and remove lumps.
- Zesters and Microplanes are used to grate citrus zest and other ingredients.
