Here you’ll find all my kitchen shopping recommendations. This section is brand new, but as I build this section out, I will have a category for baking/pastry/cooking ingredients, one for equipment recommendations, and one for cookbook recommendations.
We’ll take some deep dives into baking equipment like what to look for in baking pans or what’s the best rolling pin, for example. And then I’ll recommend the right tool for the right job.
Within each recommendation, I will try to add a link or two to posts that illustrate how I use the items in my cooking and baking as well.
Unless otherwise stated–and it will be stated clearly–none of these posts or recommendations are sponsored by the specific manufacturer or importer. However, all links to purchase will be affiliate links. This means I earn from qualifying purchases. Your price is unaffected.
Please use the Table of Contents to Navigate through to the different sections of this page.
Thanks for being here, and I hope you’ll find my recommendations helpful.
Must-Have Baking Tools
Let’s start here: My list of tools for serious bakers.
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$459.99$329.95This is my pick for the best mixer for home bakers. Many people will recommend a bowl-lift mixer, and I have one myself, but for ease of adding ingredients, tilt head is the way to go. The Artisan looks great, comes in a bunch of colors, and is a workhorse for people who bake every day. It's more than sufficient for the occasional baker, and it should last you for years and years.
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12/03/2024 10:56 pm GMT -
$9.07
- One-piece construction means the handle won't come off
- Six-inch ruler allows for measuring on the fly
- Tons of uses from cutting biscuits to scraping your countertops
- Easy to store and dishwasher safe
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12/03/2024 07:46 pm GMT -
$26.95
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
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12/04/2024 01:21 am GMT -
$9.99
A French rolling pin is lightweight and the tapered ends make it very easy to roll a radius or vary pressure across the surface of the pin. I much prefer a tapered pin to a straight one.
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12/04/2024 01:22 am GMT -
$20.99
This link is an update to my original recommendation. I need to pick these up, because OXO has improved on the original with a sleek, one-piece design. No more heads falling off!
With just these 3 spatulas, you can do 90% of your spatula work. From scraping rounded bowls (the pink one), to peanut butter jars (green) to getting into the corners of your food processor bowl (white), this is a great all-purpose set. I would even suggest getting two sets if you do a lot of cooking and baking.
- They don't discolor or retain smells
- Dishwasher-safe
- Good size for home use
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12/03/2024 10:48 pm GMT -
$39.99
- Multiple sizes for mixing, storing, and mise en place
- Clear Glass is insulative to keep cold stuff cold and hot stuff hot
- Dishwasher-safe
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12/04/2024 01:02 am GMT -
$21.25
- Rounded sides make it easy to mix pie dough, toss salads, and more
- Multiple sizes for many uses
- Larger sizes perfect for a double boiler
- Ideal the inner bowl of an ice bath
- Conductive metal allows foods to cool (or heat) quicklyd
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12/04/2024 01:06 am GMT -
$27.99
- Can be used over and over again
- Great for baking macarons, profiteroles, and eclairs
- Perfect for pouring molten candy on to shape and cool
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12/04/2024 01:01 am GMT -
$29.99
- Won't warp in the oven
- Dishwasher safe if you don't mind them not being shiny (I don't care)
- Will literally last forever unless you use them for target practice
- Light surface guards against over-browning on the bottoms of cookies and more
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12/04/2024 01:03 am GMT -
- Lightweight aluminum
- Rolled top edges keep pans from warping
- Light color keeps baked goods from over-browning
- Straight sides means no trimming
- Come in a wide array of sizes
- 2" depths as well as 3" depths
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$129.00
- Heavy for even heating and heat retention
- Can stay on the bottom shelf of your oven
- Allows for super crispy pizza crust in a home oven
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12/04/2024 12:57 am GMT -
$6.46$5.60- Wires securely embedded inside the handle
- Dishwasher safe
- Multiple wires allow for excellent aeration
- Will last forever
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12/04/2024 01:12 am GMT -
$12.97
- Cut to fit perfectly in a half-sheet pan
- Can be cut into circles if necessary
- No need to cut for different-sized rectangles. Just fold to fit.
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12/04/2024 01:21 am GMT -
$13.99$11.63What started out as a woodworking tool has come into its own in the kitchen. I have two Microplanes, and I love them.
If you've never used one before, here's what you can do with them:
- zest citrus fruit like a dream
- grate hard spices like nutmeg and cinnamon
- mince garlic and ginger into a fine paste
- shower hard grating cheese over your pasta or pizza
- grate cocoa butter into your smoothies
- make baby-fine shavings of chocolate
- and more
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12/03/2024 08:01 pm GMT
Shopping for Tabletop Electric Appliances
Down this aisle, we will be shopping for tools for the kitchen that we plug in to use. Blenders, mixers, food processors and other small kitchen appliances.
This category can be a bit pricier than smaller tools and gadgets, but they also generally last a long time and have a lot of functionality in the kitchen.
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I hope you find something you like!
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$119.99$109.96Don't get a blender only to make crepes. If you have a hand mixer or stand mixer already, you can make your crepe batter with one of those.
But if you already need a good blender for smoothies, frozen drinks, etc, the Ninja is a solid choice that won't break the bank. And it will blend your crepe batter really well, too.
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12/03/2024 10:42 pm GMT -
$459.99$329.95This is my pick for the best mixer for home bakers. Many people will recommend a bowl-lift mixer, and I have one myself, but for ease of adding ingredients, tilt head is the way to go. The Artisan looks great, comes in a bunch of colors, and is a workhorse for people who bake every day. It's more than sufficient for the occasional baker, and it should last you for years and years.
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12/03/2024 10:56 pm GMT -
$71.89
The Crock-Pot brand has been around for decades, and for good reason. Their products work reliably and consistently, and they last. I love the 6-quart size, that I can take it with me to parties and potlucks, and that there's a built-in timer so I can still use my other kitchen timers even if the Crock-Pot is doing its thing.
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12/04/2024 09:46 am GMT -
$99.99$74.99If you have been interested in trying out an induction burner, this is a good place to start. With 91% 4 and 5-star reviews on Amazon, this NUWAVE is a solid performer at a fair price.
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12/04/2024 09:46 am GMT -
$49.97$39.99I love an immersion blender for blending right in a pan. It's great for stuff that doesn't have to be silky smooth, because it doesn't really have the power to do that,.
It's great for evening out the texture or even just blending in "spots" in the pan so the broth thickens up a bit while still leaving plenty of chunky bits. It may not be as powerful as a tabletop blender, but it's easier to get varying textures with a stick or immersion blender.
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12/03/2024 10:12 pm GMT -
$329.95$262.99I currently have a toaster oven with a convection setting, but when that guy dies, this Cuisinart is one of the models I'm seriously considering for a replacement. I appreciate that it's not just made for air-frying, because we use our toaster oven for a lot of cooking.
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12/03/2024 10:21 pm GMT
My Favorite Useful Kitchen Tools and Gadgets
While this kitchen shopping aisle isn’t populated with must-haves, there are certainly many nice-to-haves here.
Some of these tools and gadgets are flashy, but most just quietly do their job whenever you reach for them.
I will try not to share anything that only does one thing–the dreaded unitasker–and only share tools and gadgets that really work and/or have stood the test of time.
Here we go.
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$55.95$51.99The OXO food mill is well-made, easy to use, easy to clean, and dishwasher safe (I wash all the parts in the dishwasher except the grinding discs). Speaking of, it comes with 3 discs for fine, medium and coarse. There is no better tool for getting a consistent texture and also removing skins and seeds without having to peel or core anything before hand.
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12/04/2024 01:12 am GMT -
$23.60$15.25Survives temperatures from below freezing to boiling. Almost indestructible, and useful for so many more tasks than just measuring liquids. Makes pouring batters less messy, great for mixing up liquid ingredients before introducing dry ingredients, perfect for melting butter and chocolate in the microwave, and more.
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12/04/2024 01:21 am GMT -
$16.12
- Easy to hold
- Easy to wash
- Handles way more than pizza: cut brownies, candies, etc
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12/04/2024 01:21 am GMT -
$11.99
OXO products have never let me down. This turner is great for everything from flipping burgers to transferring cookies to a cooling rack.
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12/03/2024 06:51 pm GMT -
$22.99
I trust the Ateco brand. Grab a set and they will last you almost forever. Three sizes come in handy for different-sized jobs.
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12/03/2024 07:36 pm GMT -
$39.99$29.98This thing is No Joke. it weighs a pound, lending its weight and heft to let you smash a burger really thin to make the most of the crispy browned goodness. There are more expensive ones out there--and less expensive ones--but the Sasquatch is my pick. Use this for any smashed burger you'd like to make, including my barbecued bacon smashed burger!
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12/03/2024 07:31 pm GMT -
Super useful for moving cakes from cooling racks onto cake stands, a "cake shovel" is also great for scooping several cookies at once off a cooling rack to put in containers. You can also use it as a pizza peel for making individual pizzas. I love mine and use it more frequently than I ever thought I would.
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$12.84
I don't consider this a strainer so much as a "skimmer." I use this guy for fishing pasta out of pasta water--I no longer bother with pouring a whole pot of pasta and water through a colander. I just lift out the pasta and put it in the sauce. I also use this for deep frying for turning the food or holding it under the fat so it cooks on all sides at once. The handle miraculously stays cool, even in 360F oil, too.
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12/03/2024 08:11 pm GMT -
$23.98
Jeffrey uses this every year to grind his spices to make his fruitcake. I use it for grinding coarse instant coffee into a fine powder and for grinding small amounts of spices for all sorts of cooking and baking needs. Plus it's fun to use.
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12/03/2024 07:37 pm GMT -
$42.00$27.01If I'm grating large amounts of cheese, I'll break out the food processor. But for just a few ounces? I'm all about the box grater. I use it almost daily and certainly weekly. Mostly for cheese, but also for carrots, potatoes, and anything that needs shredding.
This particular model grates with less resistance than most because of the "ruffled" metal surfaces. Magic!
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12/04/2024 09:41 am GMT -
$15.95
Aside from turning fish, a fish spatula is great for flipping other delicate foods like crepes. You may not need one all the time, but it is a great tool when you need to flip something fragile that could potentially fall apart.
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12/03/2024 11:53 pm GMT -
$17.99
This set of two basting brushes does it all. It took me awhile to really love silicone brushes, but I eventually got tired of pulling bristles from conventional brushes out of my egg wash! Dishwasher safe and heat resistant, they go where "old school" pastry brushes can't go.
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12/03/2024 11:47 pm GMT -
$75.74
A traditional bench brush that you'd see in any old-school bakery. Use it to dust off your work bench or to brush excess flour off of dough like puff pastry. This falls under the category of "specialty," so while it's not a must-have, it is a nice-to-have, especially if you make a lot of pie crust or laminated dough.
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12/03/2024 10:51 pm GMT -
$21.59
This guy works really well when you want to both seal and cut at the same time. Works on almost any dough that isn't sticky and isn't too thick. When I used it to seal a bunch of little ravioli, none popped open when I cooked them. Sweet!
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12/03/2024 10:37 pm GMT -
$15.99
Great for pulling fried foods out of oil, and also really useful for scooping pieces of chicken out of breading or cookies out of a bag of powdered sugar. This OXO version is similar to the one I have, and I trust the OXO name and quality of their products.
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12/04/2024 12:13 am GMT -
$59.99
This is the torch that I use. The torch heads and refills are available at home improvement stores as well, but at least you can read about them here. I use mine to brown meringue, as with my lemon meringue tart and also to torch sugar on top of creme brulee.
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12/03/2024 10:21 pm GMT -
$9.99$6.99Useful not only for breaking up sausage and other ground meats while cooking, I also use this to roughly chop any soft foods right in the pan. It works great on whole canned tomatoes and also is really useful for cooking up any hash on the stove.
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12/04/2024 01:12 am GMT -
$12.99
This set of fine mesh strainers is great for everything from sifting together dry ingredients to straining out custard and curd and even for straining pasta or yogurt for making labneh.
Use the smaller ones for sifting ground spices together or straining lemon juice.
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12/03/2024 11:17 pm GMT -
$15.99$7.99Fill with almost anything to make ice pops. Great for leftover pudding to make pudding pops, too.
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12/03/2024 08:01 pm GMT -
$20.99$17.99Works especially well for nutmeg and other large, hard spices. With no electric cords or motors, this guy will last a very long time. It also takes up minimal space--about the same space as a regular spice jar.
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12/04/2024 12:58 am GMT -
$20.99$19.99- Small size yet heavyweight for easy grinding
- Perfect for grinding whole spices for home use
- Also great for grinding salt rather than wearing out a salt mill.
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12/03/2024 09:06 pm GMT -
Functional and stylish, Wusthof knows a thing or two about making cutting implements. You're paying for the name, but you're also getting a quality piece of kitchen gadgetry you will be able to pass on to the next generation.
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Kitchen Shopping for Bakeware
This aisle is all about bakeware.
The Vessels we use to bake items.
I have cake pan recommendations as well as casseroles and ramekins for individual servings.
Also, some specialty pans for deep dish pizza. As I find items that fit the category, I’ll add them, so this should be an ever-updating aisle of goodies for everyone who loves to bake.
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$29.99
With about half the capacity of a 3 quart 9" x 13" pan, this dish is perfect for when you don't want a ton of whatever you're making. Or divide your large batch between two of these and freeze one for later. You can depend on CorningWare.
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12/03/2024 10:47 pm GMT -
$26.99
This is a great set for when you want portion sizes to be the same but you don't want everything to be super matchy-matchy. The neutral colors will look good on any table. The 8oz size may be a little large for some really rich foods, but you can also only fill them 1/2-3/4, especially if you plan on unmolding before serving.
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12/03/2024 11:12 pm GMT -
$23.99
This is the size ramekin I use to make my chicken pot pie. By volume, these hold 1 1/4 cups, so it's a good amount for hearty dishes like stews or even French onion soup. Or creamy mac and cheese. The classic white color and ridged look will never go out of style. And you can even use them to make individual souffles, if that's something you'd like to do!
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12/03/2024 11:07 pm GMT -
$53.89
Holds a gracious plenty of filling and makes for a dramatic presentation of a sweet or savory tart. Paderno is a trusted name, and my tart pan has worked beautifully for years.
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12/03/2024 10:56 pm GMT -
$36.00
A smaller version of a traditional Bundt pan, this one holds 6 cups. You can make the batter for almost any of my pound cake recipes and then bake in two of these, one for munching and one to give.
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12/03/2024 11:16 pm GMT -
$23.99$19.99USA Pans will last you forever. This loaf pan is a great size for everything from pound cake to meatloaf. I recommend hand washing.
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12/03/2024 11:07 pm GMT -
$21.69
I love a push-pan. Easier to clean than a springform pan, and it doesn't deform the way springform pans can sometimes do. To "de-pan," all you have to do is go around the edge of the pan with a thin spatula to make sure the cake is loose. Then put the pan on a raised round surface smaller than the opening in the pan--a large can works well, Then, slowly slide the sides of the pan down and lift the cake on the base up and away. Easy!
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12/03/2024 10:56 pm GMT -
$21.98$20.98Some of the paper loaf pans he tried were too long or too narrow. These Junior loaf pans are just right for his purposes. These are all he uses for his fruitcake now, unless he wants to bake a full-sized loaf to keep at home.
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12/04/2024 09:21 am GMT -
$36.00$25.97Not only is Nordic Ware THE name in Bundt pans, this particular pan is nice and sturdy and has that classic, timeless shape. It also holds 12 cups of batter, and it is the perfect size for all my pound cake recipes.
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12/03/2024 11:21 pm GMT -
$22.99
These 8" round pans are the perfect size for a two-layer cake. If you want to go big, you could certainly add a third layer, but the proportions of the cake are more traditional with two layers. Again, Fat Daddio pans are a full 2" deep, allowing for tall and proud layers. I bake my 1-2-3-4 cakes in these pans.
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12/03/2024 11:27 pm GMT -
$11.06
I love Fat Daddio for how lightweight yet heavy-duty they are. Straight sides means no awkward trimming of the sides of the cake. I still have nightmares about those slightly-flared grocery store pans. Toss those, and invest in these guys! I use 3 of these to make my 3-layer red velvet cake and vegan chocolate Christmas cake.
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12/04/2024 01:02 am GMT -
$44.97
This pan is the real deal. I am so glad I bought one. It takes a little care--hand wash, dry, and then lightly oil it--but it is 100% worth it to get a crisp, golden brown crust, both around the edges and on the bottom of the crust. Truly an excellent investment. I will also use this for focaccia, 100%.
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12/04/2024 12:08 am GMT -
$74.88
I love my standard 9" x 11" Pyrex, but when you need a lid, like when you make lasagna, this Rossallini number does it in style. I really love this baking dish.
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12/03/2024 10:17 pm GMT -
Oven-, dishwasher-, and microwave-safe, these ramekins hold 4 fluid oz or 1/2 cup, which is the perfect size for a rich dessert like creme brulee. They're also great for serving small amounts of pretty much anything as well as for ingredient prep. Really useful, and much cuter than the standard ramekins with the vertical ridges.
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$24.99$20.99Great for taller layers and for cheesecake. I prefer these to springform pans, although I have some of each type.
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12/03/2024 08:51 pm GMT -
$24.99
I trust the OXO name, the textured bottom allows for good airflow, and the nonstick coating is really good. With hand-washing, this pan should last you for years.
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12/04/2024 01:16 am GMT -
$26.99$21.99- Perfect for baking all kinds of crackers
- Also use it as a roasting pan set
- Use each piece separately for baking and cooling cookies
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12/03/2024 11:47 pm GMT -
$19.99$14.80- Perfect for baking brownies or slab pies.
- Shorter sides allow for better air circulation
- It's also much easier to serve slices from a shallow pan than a deep one.
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12/03/2024 11:22 pm GMT -
$21.43$14.87Lightweight and non-warping, these pans are also easy to clean and will last for years. Hand wash to maintain their like-new finish, but you can also run them through the dishwasher.
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12/03/2024 11:53 pm GMT -
$26.99$24.00Perfect for brownies. I prefer a 9" x 9" pan over an 8" square pan, generallly speaking. 81 square inches of brownie goodness!
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12/04/2024 12:53 am GMT -
$19.99
These pans are lightweight and easy to pick up with oven mitts on, thanks to the lip on either short end. They transfer heat efficiently so your loaves will be nicely golden brown all around. I have never had one warp, either. They should last you for years and years. I recommend handwashing these.
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12/04/2024 12:11 am GMT -
$16.99$15.49Ring molds make it easy to bake--and release--cakes, shortbread, and other molded baked goods. Set the ring mold on a parchment-lined baking sheet, line it with a strip of parchment and pour batter (or press dough) into it. Easy release, and no having to "turn out" your cakes.
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12/04/2024 09:46 am GMT -
This larger size of pie pan makes a generous apple pie or chocolate cheese pie. This size pie pan will work especially well for "deep dish" recipes and are a nice size to make for a crowd.
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Shopping for Staples
This kitchen shopping aisle is all about the basics. Staple ingredients that you’ll use again and again.
Most of these ingredients are available at your local grocery, but if you are new to baking, plan on baking frequently, and you need to know what staples you need to stock your pantry with, I hope this section will be useful to you.
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Nielsen Massey's vanilla paste is rich, sweet, and thick. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly. I especially like it in ice cream, creme brulee, and panna cotta: desserts where flecks of vanilla bean enhance the visual appeal of the dish.
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With a protein content approaching 13%, bread made with King Arthur bread flour rises high and has a nice chew and substance to it. It's the bread flour I use at home for making pizza dough to my potato sandwich bread.
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At 11.7% protein, King Arthur's all-purpose flour is also really good for bread baking. Because it has a pretty high protein content, you may not want to use it for cakes that should have a finer texture. If you do choose it for cakes, consider using the Two-Stage method for mixing to limit gluten development. Don't let that scare you away, though. I generally reach for King Arthur for everyday baking, especially if it's the only all-purpose I have on hand. And if KA AP is all you have and you want to make some bread, don't make a special trip. Your bread will be great, I promise.
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$14.85$6.49With a listed protein range of between 10%-12%, Bob's Red Mill will have, on average, a lower protein content than the King Arthur brand for everyday baking. For breads and even pie crusts, I reach for BRM over King Arthur if I have both on hand.
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12/03/2024 11:32 pm GMT -
$29.99
White Lily is made in Tennessee, and being Tennessee-adjacent means I can almost always find White Lily on the shelves at my grocery store. I use White Lily mainly for biscuits, but it's a great all-purpose flour for cake and pastry as well. Even though it says "all-purpose," I don't recommend it for bread since it has lower protein (9%) and is much better for baked goods where tenderness is more important than chew.
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12/03/2024 11:41 pm GMT -
$19.88
I love me some Swans Down. At 6%-8% protein, it bakes up nice and tender. The bleaching process helps break down the protein in the flour, which makes it even more lovely for nice, soft cakes.
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12/03/2024 11:37 pm GMT -
$7.49
If you have one of those Ooni pizza ovens or you just love a good, thin-crust pizza, you owe it to yourself to try out some 00 flour. It's milled way more finely than "regular" flour and is more akin to the kind of flour you would find in Italy, except it's grown in the US. It really will up your thin-crust pizza game.
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12/03/2024 11:52 pm GMT -
$12.76
For adding a lot of coconut flavor without any additional sugar, I prefer desiccated coconut to sweetened "angel flake" coconut.
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12/04/2024 12:06 am GMT -
$26.49
Tasty for eating outright, chocolate oranges also great when removed from the box and stuck down in the toe of a Christmas stocking. And don't discount their deliciousness in a big old cup of orange hot chocolate.
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10/10/2024 05:26 pm GMT -
$9.58
Optimized to work in enriched and sweeter yeast dough, SAF gold Instant Yeast never fails, at least not in my experience. I store mine in the fridge where it will last literally for years. I use it interchangeably with active dry yeast, and I prefer instant so I don't have to go through a proofing step.
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12/03/2024 09:20 pm GMT
Kitchen Shopping for Specialty Ingredients
Yes, we all have staples that we always have on hand, and there will be a section on baking staples, too.
But sometimes it’s fun to bust out an unexpected ingredient, either as a garnish or as the main event.
So, walk with me down the specialty ingredient aisle as we continue our kitchen shopping extravaganza!
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$29.99
This raspberry balsamic is rich and thick and just the right balance of sweet and tart with plenty of raspberry flavor.
I use this as a drizzle on my Monte Cristo Crepes (recipe coming soon), on ice cream, in vinaigrettes (just a touch), and in baking. You'll find lots of ways to love this stuff!
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12/03/2024 10:13 pm GMT -
- Great flavor
- 100% duck fat with no extra ingredients
- No chemical propellents. The spray works with compressed air
- Easy to store and no waste
NOTE: It will solidify in the can if it's too cold in your kitchen, so if it doesn't want to spray, run it under warm water.
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$20.97
For intense raspberry flavor and color, it doesn't get much better than this. Mix it into yogurt or smoothies, or see it in action in my raspberry shortbread sandwich cookie recipe.
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12/03/2024 10:26 pm GMT -
$9.86
If you are not adept at candy making but you still want some honeycomb candy, this is what you get.
Now that you have it, you should eat it, because it's delicious.
Or crush it up and use it in my chocolate chunk honeycomb cookies. Because those things are excellent!
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12/03/2024 10:38 pm GMT -
$46.95
This is my favorite vanilla extract in the world. Will other vanilla extracts work in your recipes? Of course. This one is really special, though. If you've never had a really high-quality vanilla extract before, pick some up. Read more about it along with my impressions of other types of vanilla in my post on taste-testing vanilla.
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12/03/2024 10:46 pm GMT -
$11.14
I love nibbling on crystallized ginger or mincing it finely and using it in recipes. Add it to your favorite gingerbread recipe or mix it into streusel to top muffins or make a quick crisp. It would be wonderful with peaches! My husband keeps a stock of this ginger on hand for when he makes his fruitcakes.
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12/03/2024 10:38 pm GMT -
$20.95
For a good amount at a reasonable price as well as pure strawberry flavor, I always buy Nature Restore. It's the only brand I've used, and I see no reason to look elsewhere. Great stuff! Use it in the same way you'd use freeze-dried raspberry powder. See it in action in my strawberry pound cake recipe.
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12/03/2024 10:21 pm GMT -
$29.99
If you're new to feuilletine, it's crushed up Crepe Dentelle cookies. They add a little crunch to fat-based mixtures such as pure chocolate. They'll get soggy if you add them to a water-based mixture, but you can add them to streusel or top some ice cream at the last minute. This smaller amount, about 3 cups' worth, should be more than enough to get you started. Store in a cool, dry place, and add a few desiccant packs to make sure it stays crispy.
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12/03/2024 10:38 pm GMT -
$13.99
Thai palm sugar is a wonderful ingredient to have on hand. It's what gives the floral sweetness to Thai curries, so I use it in curries, but also in other preparations that might benefit from some floral sweetness, like tea. While it comes in hard "pucks," they soften quickly in hot liquids. Use this wherever you'd normally use sugar (like maybe to a tomato sauce) to add a bit more complexity than just one-note sweetness. See it in action and learn more about it in my plum chutney post.
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12/03/2024 10:37 pm GMT -
15,95€
If you love tiramisu and don't want to make your own ladyfingers, these Savoiardi cookies are the way to go. They soak up enough espresso that you can taste it without falling apart (as long as you don't let them hang out in liquid for too long.
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02/29/2024 09:47 pm GMT -
$14.49
Date syrup is a fantastic, unrefined sweetener that tastes a bit like molasses and can go wherever molasses goes. Try it in my spicy ketchup recipe for sweetness without refined sugar. Good stuff!
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12/03/2024 10:48 pm GMT -
$12.99
Ever wondered how powdered donuts stay white and powdery? Or how a Danish pastry stays all white and pretty with powdered sugar? This is how: sugar snow, or powdered dextrose. Now that you know, pick some up for fancy bakery-level powdered sugar action. I love this stuff, and I use it to coat my lemon coolers and my Christmas stollen.
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12/04/2024 12:33 am GMT -
$13.99$11.99This is the citric acid I use whenever I need lemon juice but don't have any, or when I make pate de fruits, or if I want to make a "sour sugar" for coating. This stuff will last forever if you keep it dry, and a little goes a long way. You will find many ways to use it.
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12/03/2024 11:01 pm GMT -
- The perfect blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice
- No one spice outshines the others
- Brings added dimension to fruit pies, gingerbread, fruitcake, and more
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The Feuillantine brand is made in France. It has a fairly fine texture, and it comes with the feuilletine in a large plastic bag inside a sturdy cardboard box. Store in a cool, dry place, and once open, it should keep for 2-3 months at least. Toss some desiccant packs in the bag to make sure it's ready to go when you are.
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$19.99
Instant Clear Jel is a modified food starch. In layman's terms, it means the starch has already been mixed with water and brought to a boil so it thickens. Then it is dried and ground into a powder. And now, magically it thickens almost instantly in cold liquids. This makes it perfect for making instant pudding, and it's the #2 ingredient in instant pudding right behind sugar. And it also makes it the perfect ingredient for binding up liquid in cream so that it stays whipped and beautiful for days without weeping.
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12/03/2024 11:11 pm GMT -
$35.95
If you want to try some excellent Mexican vanilla, go with the Blue Cattle Truck Trading Company, based in the US, they source all their beans from a small farm in Mexico. This is the real deal, friends, and worth buying. Use it to make Mexican flan or to flavor the flan layer in chocoflan. You won't regret it!
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12/04/2024 06:06 am GMT -
$17.99
For my money, you can't beat Tony Chachere's seasoning blends for Cajun-inspired goodness. The variety pack will let you try out all the offerings. I use the original or salt-free, but if you like bolder flavor or more spice, Tony has you covered. As an aside, it's pronounced "Sa-sher-ee's."
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12/03/2024 11:17 pm GMT -
$14.99
Dutch Process Cocoa has been alkalized, which means the pH of usually acidic cocoa has been balanced with an alkalizing process making Dutch process cocoa neutral. When compared to "regular" cocoa powder, Dutch-processed is darker in color and has a more pronounced "chocolatey" flavor. Guittard makes an excellent one.
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12/04/2024 09:26 am GMT -
$12.99
Camellia holds their suppliers to a higher standard than required by the USDA, so their quality really is second to none. Recommended by me and also by my Louisiana friends who really know what they're talking about. This link is for 2 1-pound bags of Great Northern Beans.
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12/03/2024 10:26 pm GMT -
$7.29
Pepperoncini peppers add a little Pop and Zing to anything you put them in. Lovely sliced on a salad or as a pizza topping, or even minced and added to a stew that needs a little brightness and zing.
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12/04/2024 09:41 am GMT -
$22.30
Whether you use Rao's Marinara as the base for my creamy vodka sauce, serve it with your favorite pasta, or use it as a starting point for a meat sauce, it's the best. My favorite jarred marinara, period.
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12/04/2024 09:47 am GMT -
$499.95
I have a BlendTec with a WildSide Jar. An earlier model than this one, it is a workhorse, and it's impossible to kill because if it even thinks about overheating, it shuts itself off. Honestly, my first choice would be a VitaMix because the tamper makes Certain Sure everything blends, but I get excellent results with the BlendTec, especially at higher speeds.
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12/03/2024 10:12 pm GMT -
$14.95
Pure, well-rounded, intense, whole lemon flavor from the zest, pith, juice, seeds: the whole shebang. Zero sweetness, and a little goes a long way. Perfect in my lemon coolers recipe or to flavor tea or even to add to granulated sugar to make a "sour patch kid" type of pate de fruit.
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12/03/2024 11:47 pm GMT -
Add a delicious kick of savory gingery goodness to everything. Fantastic in my ginger-lime wedding cookies, which I developed specifically to use ginger salt, but also great in soups and as part of a rub for poultry. I'm sure you'll find a bunch more uses for it!
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Pure, sweet lemon flavor with no tang adds a little something extra to lemon coolers, any lemon cake, cookie, or muffin recipe. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty these are!
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$17.26
Grade B maple syrup has always been my favorite because of its darker color and richer flavor. Now they've changed the ratings, but this is the real deal. Perfection on pancakes for one, waffles, or as a sweetener in my hot fudge sauce.
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12/03/2024 08:46 pm GMT -
$13.95
Adding just a little fish sauce to almost anything brings delightful umami flavor to the party. Trust me, I am not a fan of strong fish just to munch on, but fish sauce is another thing entirely. Add it to ground beef, chicken soup, stock, rice, vegetables. Even lemon garlic pasta! Really, anywhere you need a little extra lip-smacking goodness, you'll want to add a couple of shakes of Red Boat!
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12/04/2024 12:32 am GMT -
$39.99
Mexican vanilla beans are my favorite, and when I have them, I use them in custards and jams. This link is for 10 beans, but you can purchase fewer or more once you click through.
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12/03/2024 10:46 pm GMT
Kitchen Shopping for Cookbooks
Let’s head down the cookbook aisle so I can point out some of my favorites.
Some of these cookbooks I have reviewed on the site, and others I just love independent of the blog.
And still more are truly educational and will help you hone your skills if you read them like textbooks and then practice.
As with the rest of the “shopping aisles,” I will be adding to this list. It is in no way exhaustive.
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$23.99$19.70Easy, fun, accessible Asian cuisine from a Top Chef alum. See my review of her recipe for Toasted Almond Cookie Dumplings as well as her basic dumpling dough recipe.
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12/04/2024 12:26 am GMT -
$19.99$17.47This was a really fun book to review. Foods stuffed inside other foods. Often over-the-top, but always fun, accessible and delicious, this book is by Dan Whalen of the blog Food in My Beard. Check out my review and his recipe for Cuban Sandwich Stuffed Empanadas.
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12/04/2024 12:44 am GMT -
$26.99$16.09Written by my friend, blogger and prolific vegan cookbook author, Kathy Hester, The Great Vegan Bean Book is full of comforting recipes for every meal of the day. My Great Northern Beans recipe started out as a vegan dish called "Creole White Beans" that Jeffrey thought sounded so good that he made this recipe himself! It has morphed into a recipe with meat in it, but it's still veganizable and super good.
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12/04/2024 12:36 am GMT -
$99.57
This book is a treasure trove. A reprint of an 1893 cookbook, still written in the style of the day when most recipes assumed you knew all the basics, it's a snapshot into the past, and the recipes are solid, too. I made the Traditional "Cocoanut" Custard Pie from this book if you'd like to check it out.
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12/04/2024 12:36 am GMT -
$60.00$27.49I never worked for Thomas Keller, but I did work for a chef who worked under him, so there are two degrees of separation between me and one of the most celebrated chefs in the country! His book is all about refinement and the pursuit of perfection. I find it really interesting to see what drives him and learn about his inspirations. Do I cook from his book? No, but I do read it like a textbook and learn a little nugget or two on almost every page.
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12/04/2024 12:22 am GMT -
$32.00$21.00How to Cook Without a Book is almost always my recommendation when someone wants to give a cookbook to a young person (or not-so-young person) heading out into the world and wanting to learn how to cook. Even if you've never cooked before, you will learn basic techniques and how to apply them to many different ingredients. I think it's an invaluable book.
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12/04/2024 12:21 am GMT -
$26.99$14.99Another great cookbook by my friend Jane Bonacci, this book is a game-changer for folks who are gluten-free and are missing their bread machines. I don't know how they did it, but they are producing some magical gluten-free breads!
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12/04/2024 12:37 am GMT -
$18.08
This book is nostalgic for me because 1934 is the year my parents were born. More than that, it is full of really excellent recipes. That are all chocolate. Seriously, pick this one up. I love it.
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12/04/2024 12:13 am GMT -
$6.99
If you are a fan of pan pizza, this will become your Bible. I use this cookbook all the time. I love the Grandma Pie Dough recipe and use it for focaccia and even for thin-crust pizzas. The pizza sauce recipes are also excellent, not to mention Peter Reinhart's palpable enthusiasm for the topic of pizza. You will learn a lot and be inspired. That's what I call a winning cookbook!
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12/04/2024 12:22 am GMT -
$45.00$16.99Lisa Yokelson teaches you how to layer in flavors in tons of different ways. The chapters are arranged according to flavor profile: Spice, Vanilla, Ginger, Citrus, etc, and then she proceeds to layer those base flavors into recipes in as many ways as she can. It's a masterful book. Even if you don't end up baking all of her exact recipes, you will still learn so much that you can apply to your own baking.
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12/03/2024 11:47 pm GMT -
$45.00$27.97I love Shirley Corriher and her "excited scientific" approach to cooking and baking. You know I love to learn the hows and whys behind the whats, and I have learned so much from her.
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12/04/2024 12:22 am GMT -
$35.00$30.00Another winner--the original--from Shirley Corriher, you will learn how to make the most of all sorts of recipes, from breads to searing meats to making cookies. Cookwise is an exuberantly and engagingly-written textbook by one of the most accessible food scientists out there.
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12/03/2024 11:37 pm GMT -
$24.95$14.15Written by my wonderful friend, pastry chef and very funny person Jill O'Connor, you will love all the cakes in this book. Some are fairly simple and others are spectacular, but Jill will walk you through all the how-tos and hold your hand. And eat cake with you. My rocky road sheet cake and chocolate mint sheet cake are both based on her mayonnaise cake recipe, and I use her marshmallow cake layer in the middle of my fluffernutter cake.
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12/03/2024 10:47 pm GMT -
$25.99$16.49I have had the pleasure of cooking with both Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart. Not only are they at ease in the kitchen, they are both consummate teachers: patient, funny, kind, skilled. If you've lamented that you'll never be able to make beautiful biscuits, let these two amazing southern women take you under their wings, and you'll be baking up beautiful biscuits in no time.
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12/03/2024 08:26 pm GMT