Baking Tools & Methods Reina Mariz Pascua-Baguio

Baking Tools

Spiral Whisk

This is used for beating egg whites and for stirring sauces.

Electric Hand Mixer

This is used for creaming, beating egg whites, mixing cake batters and icings.

Pastry or Biscuit Cutters

This is used for shaping dough and pastries.

Rolling Pin

This is for shaping and flattening dough. The rolling pin is rolled from the center to the edge and repeated several times until the desired shape is obtained.

Pastry BlenderThis tool with a wooden handle and rounded steel blades is used to cut in shortening (solid fat) into flour to obtain flaky texture of pies and pastries.

Cooling Rack

This is for cooling cakes until ready for icings and frostings.

Baking Tins (Pans)

These may be made of aluminum, stainless, copper, or heat resistant equipment like Pyrex glass. They are in varied shapes and sizes.

Spatula

• It resembles a knife with a flexible metal blade. It is used in spreading frostings and icings on cakes.

Sifter or Sieve

This is a stainless mesh or screen for sifting flour or other ingredients before measuring.

Measuring Cups

This is for accurate measurement of ingredients. It is usually a set of individual cups graduated in fractions of ¾, ½, ¼ and so on. Liquid ingredients are usually measured using liquid measuring cup made of transparent glasses or plastic cups.

Measuring Spoons

These come in sets of individual spoons measuring 1 tbsp., 1 tsp., ½ tsp, and ¼ tsp.

Mixing Bowls

These are available in different sizes. Bowls for easy mixing should be large enough. They are usually made of metal, glass, or ceramics.

Pastry Brush

• This has soft bristles which are used for brushing dough with milk or egg and for greasing pans.

Utility Tongs

These are gadgets for holding baked goods and other food.

Wooden Spoons

These are for mixing batters. They come in different weights, sizes, and shapes.

Baking Methods & Techniques

Sifting

This separates coarse particles by passing through a sieve. In the process, air is incorporated.

Creaming

This is the rubbing of one or two ingredients against a bowl with the help of a wooden spoon or electric mixer. The cream mixture should have smooth and grainy particles.

Cutting In

• This is mixing fat and flour with the use of a pastry blender or two knives in a scissor-like manner. This method cuts fat into small pieces. It is usually used for pastries and biscuits.

Folding

• This is working with two ingredients very gently to retain air in the mix. It can be done by hand, an electric mixer, or a rubber scraper.

Cutting and Folding

• These involve cutting vertically into the mixture with a rubber scraper or spoon and turning over and over by gliding the spoon across the bottom of the missing bowl at each turn.

Beating

This incorporates air into the mixture by mechanical agitation. It can be done with a fork, whip, egg beater, or electric mixer.

Kneading

• This is to manipulate by pressure alternating with folding and stretching.

Whipping

This is to beat eggs and cream to them with air and make them thick and fluffy.

Stirring

• This is often done by rotating a wooden spoon through a mixture as needed.

Scalding

• This is heating below boiling point which may be done in a double boiler.

How to Makea Simple CakeCreaming Method

Creaming Method