From being an amateur baker selling cupcakes, cookies and a variety of tray bakes to becoming a well-known name in Birmingham, especially amongst our everyday clients we have come to know we have learnt the hard way what every baker needs in their kitchen.
We will discuss the everyday essentials every aspiring baker should have!
1. The Mixer
Well durr, every kitchen, bakery or side room that you use for baking must have a mixer.
Whether it’s an olden day metal hand mixer which will have your forearms looking like an elephant’s trunk or an electrical hand mixer such as KitchenAid, Russell Hobbs and the likes all the way to your stand mixers and planetary mixer.
The choice is vast but the long and short is you will need a mixer to bring your ingredients together.
2. Mixing Bowls
So you’ve got yourself a mixer, so you’ll also need your mixing bowl – obvious we know but you’d be surprised how many people have got that spur-of-the-moment feeling, got all their utensils and ingredients ready to mix then are forced to scrummage around looking for a deep enough and tough enough bowl to mix in.
Remember you need at least one bowl for your dry and at least one bowl for the liquids. In theory, the bowl should be deep enough so you can combine the wet and dry together in one, well so they say, sometimes you just have to make to with what you got.
3. Utensils – Spatula
We all have that one dry, crusty-looking spatula in the drawer somewhere, well now it’s time to dig it out and give it a little rub down and get the folding or turning.
If not pop down to the local shop and get one, best to get the thick wooden handle ones with a big head, as these will last longer and also look good when your friend comes round and opens the drawer and sees such a powerful tool just placed there ready for action.
Yes, a spatula is needed and is very important, don’t try to be that one person who thinks hey what the heck I’ll just use a spoon.
This will be very problematic, so it should be as you were told to get a spatula.
4. Measuring Cups
If you think you can make a cake by just eyeballing it then you my friend are crazy, measuring cups are a must especially if you want to do it right and be the talk of the dinner party you’re baking for.
There are many different types and colours but they should all weigh the same regardless of how it looks.
Generally, the cups are 1cup, ½ cup 1/3 cup, ¼ cup and the smaller spoons are 1 tbsp, ½ tbsp, 1 tsp and ½ tsp. if you have a tried and tested recipe just follow it exactly and remember baking is science and practice makes perfect.
5. Ingredients
Is this really necessary? Yes, just to dot all my i’s and cross all my t’s.
This crazy world of baking involves many things but when it comes to your typical Victoria sponge, every cake calls for generally the same ingredients which are self-raising flour, sugar, eggs, and milk.
As mentioned this is general as many other bakers may add their own flavourings etc.
Summary
This was just a very general and basic list of the bare minimum you would need to start your day of baking as we personally use so much more but we have to as we’re professionals and that’s what we do.
So from selling on the street to the main stage as long as you have the bare minimum and over time master your craft and add to this list, you too can become a professional baker.
We all started in the Kitchen scrummaging around for these things.