The baking equipment and utensils

featured here are from a chapter in my

book “European Tarts, Divinely
Doable Desserts with Little or No
Baking”. At the end I have added
additional baking equipment not
included in the book as it was strictly
tarts not all baking. I am often asked
about equipment I use and I thought it
might be interesting for you to see it.
So when you see references to the
book, it is this book I am talking about.

I am in no way suggesting that to be a

good baker you have to go out and
purchase all of this baking equipment
at once. My equipment was built up
over the years as I needed it. Some of it came from the bakery when I closed it.

The baking equipment shown here is my personal equipment. Some of the equipment is new, some
has been with me for many years. The important thing is not that you use what I do, but what works
for you in each of the categories. Buy the best you can and the equipment will last a lifetime, as you
will see in some of these pictures.

I am not a believer in buying baking equipment for the sake of it. Especially when it comes to small
wares. When I remodeled my kitchen, I put all of my small utensils in a box and whatever I didn’t use
in six months, I donated to a resale shop. I used exactly one item and I don’t even remember what
that was. I also don’t believe that the more money you spend the better the equipment. Some of my
equipment is high end when I believe it will serve me better than another brand. Some comes from
Walmart and is very inexpensive (read cheap!!).

Wherever possible I have included brand names not because I am being paid – I am not, but
because they are the ones that have serviced me well for many years.

I know there may be baking equipment I have forgotten or don’t use. Please leave your suggestions
in the comments. I would love to see them.

Baking sheetsHeavy sheets are important

for even browning and to keep items from
browning or burning before baking is
completed. Professionally we used rimmed
full sheet and half sheet pans which have a
1/2 to 3/4 inch rim all the way around the
pan for everything including cookies and I
still use half sheets in my personal kitchen
to help keep the amount of equipment to a
minimum. Cookie sheets have upturned
ends but open sides.
ColanderThis utensil comes in plastic as well as
aluminum and stainless steel with feet to hold it
above a surface. It is used primarily to let water
drain from a product. It is particularly useful to
wash fruit and vegetables and drain pasta.

Cutting Boards come in a variety of sizes and

weights. Heavier ones will last longer and provide
more stability. Placing a wet towel under the
board will prevent it from moving while it is being
used.

Double Boiler This specialized piece of

equipment consists of one pan seated inside of a
second pan with room for water. Water is added
to the bottom pan so the contents of the upper
pan can be warmed or cooked gently without
direct heat to keep it from breaking or burning.
Placing a bowl over a pan of simmering water is
an alternative.
Dishers/scoopers These are used for portion
control and ease of shaping or dropping bakery
items. They come in a variety of sizes with the
highest number being the smallest size. These
are Vollrath products.

Food Processor The tasks this machine can perform are amazing. But
there are some caveats. It doesn’t puree as good as a blender and
nuts can be turned into butters or cut too finely in seconds. But would I
give my up – no way. The pulse button can save you from disaster.
The size of the motors vary as well as the capacity of the bowls.
Processors usually come with several blades including an S shaped
blade that chops and purees and several discs for slicing and
shredding. The more powerful machines can make bread dough. A
feedtube on the lid of the plastic bowl allows food to be added while the
machine is running. This is a real workhorse and a great piece of
equipment for the sweet kitchen.

Knives Good knives will last a lifetime. They don’t have to be the most
expensive knives on the market but they should be balanced and hold
a sharp edge when sharpened. Essential knives include a small paring
knife, chef’s knife in a length you can easily use and a good bread knife
with a serrated blade..
Grater A box grater has many uses in the kitchen but I favor a microplaner
for the baking/pastry kitchen.

Heat Gun or Blow Torch Used to heat the sides of pans to aid in the
releasing of an item from its pan. This piece of equipment is particularly
useful when removable rims are used. They are heated, the product is put
on a can and slid down.

Juicer This is probably the oldest, ugliest juicer ever, but I love it. The
looks of this is a testament to never putting aluminum items in a
dishwasher. There are many versions of juicers including electric ones.
This is a simple version were the cut citrus fruit is put on top of the juicer
and twisted and pressed down to extract the juice while leaving the seeds
behind. Also pictured is a plastic version.
Ladlesof different sizes are useful for portion control or to move
liquids. They come in different sizes and professional ladles are
marked in ounces.

Measuring cups

Liquid Measuring cups

Dry Measures

come in wet and dry measures. The wet measures have

graduated sizes on them and are used for liquids which is
why there is usually a lip on the top. They come in sizes
from 1 cup up to 1 gallon. I have seen them in metal,
ceramic, glass and plastic. Dry measures are used for any
dry ingredient. The important thing here is to overfill the cup
and sweep the excess off with the back of a knife or any flat
utensils. While cups are fine for some items, weighing dry
ingredients is used by professionals and is encouraged for
pastry/baking success
Measuring spoons used to measure small
amounts of ingredients. They come in a variety
of sizes held together on a ring.

MicroplanerThis is one of the most wonderful

tools in a kitchen. Microplaners can be used to
grate citrus rinds, chocolate, nutmeg, etc. They
are particularly good as they remove the zest
from citrus fruits without taking the bitter white
pith underneath. They also keep the zest dry.

MixerThis is a necessary piece of equipment for

pastry making. They are used to combine, beat
or whip ingredients. There are hand mixers and
stand mixers that go from 4 1/2 quarts to huge
140 quart commercial mixers. Generally
speaking, hand mixers do not have enough
power for many baking and pastry applications.
Stand mixers have more power and in addition to
performing baking and pastry tasks, many come
with attachments that enable them to perform
even more tasks such as grinding meat, stuffing
sausage, juicing citrus, crushing ice and making
pasta. Most of the stand mixers come with a
paddle, whisk and dough hook for making bread.
I use a 5 quart Breville mixer but have also used
KitchenAid Cuisinart and Kenmore mixers. Every
company makes more than one size. All of my
recipes are figured for a 5 quart mixer. See my
comparison of the Breville and the KitchenAid
mixers.
Pancake Turnersare used to move tarts to their
boards or platters. Two sturdy turners are placed,
one on each side, to lift the tart and move it into
place.

Pastry Bags are used in conjunction with pastry tips

to finish pastries. They can be plastic, cloth or
disposable plastic and come in various sizes.
Disposable plastic bags are used professionally to
avoid cleanliness issues. If large, they can be cut
down. They should be turned inside out and
washed in warm soapy water if using a plastic or
cloth bag.

PastryBrushes come in a variety of widths and

sizes. They are useful for washing down the sides
of pans, brushing flour away, applying glazes and
more. While expensive, it is best to use natural
bristles. The plastic bristle brushes can melt on a
hot pan.

Pastry Tips
Open Star Tips

Plain Tips

are used with pastry bags. The tips

used in this book include #5 and #8
open star, #48 basketweave and #5
plain tip.

Peeler There are many styles of

peelers available including ergonomic
ones. I like the old fashioned version
that has a rounded end for digging
out the eyes of potatoes or other
produce. The important thing here is
to find one that is comfortable in your
hand.

Ruler Any ruler, plastic or metal can be used.

Saucepans Several sizes of pans
including small to medium are
used. Heavy pans will not only last
a lifetime but prevent items from
burning and allow more even heat
disbursement.

Scales My mantra is scales, scales,

scales. Not only for accuracy but for
speed. It is so much faster to weigh
ingredients than to measure with
spoons and cups. Since successful
baking and pastry depend upon the
accuracy of measurements, scales
provide a foolproof way of
measuring. No professional should
ever measure with anything but a
scale. However, in the spirit of
compromise, if you don’t use a
scale, stir the flour briefly in the bag
or canister as it settles. Dip a dry
measure into the flour and fill to
overflowing; sweep off the excess.

Scissorsare useful for a number of

tasks in the bakers kitchen
Scrapers Scrapers are indispensible
tools for baking and pastry. The bench
scraper was originally used to scrape
flour off of the area used to make
bread which is referred to as a bench –
hence bench scraper. In addition to
scraping clean a work area, this
scraper can be used to cut dough into
pieces. The second scraper is a bowl
scraper used to get everything out of a
mixing bowl. It is plastic and has a
curved side and a flat side. The curved
side is used to scrape out the sides
and bottom of a bowl.

Spatulas, Metal Large and small

metal spatulas are important for
frosting canes and releasing items
from pans.

Spatulas, Metal, Offset Off set

spatulas in both large, small and
pointed are important for frosting
cakes, particularly finishing the top,
spreading any number of items out
and releasing items from pans. The
pointy one is useful for scalloped
edge pans such as the pans used in
this book.
Spatulas, Rubber Various sizes are
available. From narrow to wide from
about 13 inches to 20 inches, they
serve a variety of duties in the
baking/pastry kitchen. Do not use
regular rubber spatulas in hot items.
There are specially made high heat
spatulas for use in hot pots.

Spoonsof various sizes are useful

from small tasting spoons to larger
ones used to stir ingredients
together.
Strainer A variety of strainers in different
mesh sizes are useful for straining,
washing fresh fruit an sprinkling powdered
sugar among other things. They often
come in sets of varying sizes.

Tart pans with removable

bottoms Also referred to as
quiche pans, these short tart pans
with fluted rims, usually have
sides that are 3/4 to 1 inch tall.
The bottoms come out which
makes anything in them very easy
to release without turning the pan
upside down. These come in
various sizes from 3 1/2 inches,
which is the smallest pan I have
used to 12” round. I have also
seen them in square and
rectangular pans.
Thermometers

Oven Thermometer
Refrigerator-Freezer Thermometer

Candy Thermometer
Instant Read Thermometer

There are a variety of thermometers for different uses. Freezer and refrigerator thermometers are
important to keep track of the temperatures for safety. Freezers should be kept at 0 degrees or
below. Refrigerators should be kept at 40 degrees. A candy thermometer registers high
temperatures used in candy and sugar work.

Toothpicks and Skewers These are used to finish desserts.

Whisks can be used for various tasks in the kitchen,
including mixing and whipping ingredients. They come
in very fine wire to heavy wire depending upon the
use. They also come in various heights to
accommodate different size containers.

Additional Items Not Mentioned

in the Book
Cake Pans – There are many
sizes and shapes of cake pans
from round to square, oblong to
speciality shapes. Buy the
heaviest weight pan you
can. They will last a life time as
many of these
demonstrate. Some of these are
30 years old, some new. Buy as
you go along. If you don’t need
square baking pans, don’t get
them. These are ones in my
collection. This 9″ round cake
pan is my most used cake pan
. The round pans are 6″ to 24″
with the larger ones being used for wedding cakes. The brand I use is Magic Pans. The are
inexpensive among professional pans, they are heavy weight and last forever if well cared for. the
pan above is at least 25 years old. I have 12 in my personal collection as I brought them from the
bakery when it was closed. If you plan to bake your layers as i do in single layers as opposed slicing
the layers, I would suggest 4 pans would suffice. We had over 150 of these at the bakery for various
cakes we baked on a daily basis.
Square Baking PansThese
come in glass or metal. The
metal can be light or dark. Both
of the above require a reduction
in the heat when baking of 25 to
50 degrees as they conduct the
heat faster than light colored
aluminum. The normal size for
home bakers is 8″ and 9″.

9×13 Inch Rectangular

PanPopular for bar cookies of all
kinds this pan has many uses.

Quarter Sheet PanThis is a new

addition to my baking pan
collection. It is the same size as
a 9×13 inch pan but the sides are
not as high. It is one half of a half
sheet pan. I find it more
convenient for recipes where the
height of the item is only about
3/4 inch when baked

.
Speciality Pans
Angel Cake Pan
This deep pan has a removable
bottom to easily remove the
baked cake. Angel Food Cakes
are typically 5 to 6 inches
deep. The tube in the middle
facilitates the heat reaching the
center of the cake so the sides
don’t burn. This is one of my
favorite cakes and I could
probably eat it every day.

Bundt PansThese three bundt

pans are just a few of the many out
there. They come in all sizes and
shapes. The 12 cup bundt pan in
the right rear is the original design
and the only one for many
years. Then manufacturers
boosted their popularity with
different shapes and sizes as you
can see. The shape of the finished
cake can be seen by turning the
pan upside down as this is how it
would be served.

Cheesecake PansAt the bakery

we had dozens and dozens of
these. We used them not only for
making cheesecakes but
assembling cakes that had wiggly
fillings that needed to be
refrigerated or frozen before
finishing. I much prefer this pan
to springform pans for several
reasons. The springform pan
does not have a perfectly flat
removable bottom as does this
pan making it more difficult to
remove the cheesecake. Also,
after years of use or if not stored
properly, the spring can get
sprung making it unusable. This
pan with its removable bottom
makes it ideal for uses other than
cheesecakes. When we made
cheesecakes requiring water
baths, we simply wrapped these
in aluminum foil to keep the water
out.

Cake Boards and Parchment

Cake boards are the easiest way to assemble a cake. At a bakery it is what we used to send the
cakes out. There are two kinds of boards, waxed and unwaxed or coated and uncoated. If available
always take the waxed. It will cost a little more but they don’t have to be wrapped in foil as
unwaxed boards do. If a cake is put on an unwaxed board the board will draw moisture out of it. A
waxed board allows the cake to sit on it as long as needed without changing in taste or texture. The
boards come in all sizes including quarter and half sheets as well as full sheet boards. Some also
come in single and double strength. I always specified double strength if available in the size I
needed. You can see the waxed or coated round in the photo above. It is the shiny round board in
the middle of the cake board photo.

Parchment paper is indispensable in a bakery and so it is at home. It prevents batters from sticking
and it makes clean up a lot easier. Parchment comes in various size rounds. We bought full sheet
and had it cut by the supplier into half sheets for ease and speed of use.

There are silpat pan liners that can be used. We didn’t use them in the bakery because of their
expense and the fact I didn’t feel we could keep them adequately clean. I still use parchment for my
personal baking just as I did at the bakery.
Gold Cake Boards These are
“dress up” cake boards. We used these for retail customers when we did custom cakes for
them. They make a prettier appearance than the plain white boards.

Wax Paper

This was the precursor to

parchment for home bakers. Although I use parchment for lining my sheets and pans, I use wax
paper for rolling out dough when the recipe calls for rolling between wax paper. I prefer it to
parchment because it is easier to use. Whenever no additional flour is recommended when rolling
out a dough, particularly a thin one, wax paper is great.
Cooling Racks While professional
bakeries cool their items in their pans placed on racks, home bakers often use cooling racks of
different sizes and shapes. Here again, buy the sturdiest ones you can find that have a high foot on
them.

Cookie and/or Biscuit cutters

When I had the bakery, I had literally hundreds and hundreds of cookie cutters. My husband hated
to see me head for the rack of cookie cutters because he knew I would find something I didn’t have
either large or small. I also had a lot of sets as I found them enormously helpful. In the photo above
you can see a set of three rippled biscuit cutters which of course can be used for cookies. In the
back is a set of round cutters in many sizes and to the left are cookie cutters that belonged to my
mother. They have to be about 75 years old. The real kicker that they are still kept in the original
box which says .29 cents. Mother made a Christmas cookies every year with these. When I post
the Murbteig blog later this year, you will see one of my favorite Christmas cookies.
Cake Comb This decorating tool is
ideal for giving the sides of a cake a finished look. I also used it sometimes on the top to add
interest to a plain finished cake.

Cupcake or Muffin Pans This

photo shows a mini pan in front, a regular size pan in the back left and a Texas muffin tin in the
back right. The Texas cup holds about twice as much as the regular size tin. I like to make
cupcakes in the regular size tin and frost them generously as I think most people eat a cupcake for
the frosting, not the cake. However, for muffins I favor the Texas puffin tin as the regular size always
seems small to me. These pans are
also muffin pans. However, since there is no standard size for muffin cups, there are a bit larger than
the ones above. The pan to the from is for minis and the one in the rear is for regular size muffins
although larger than the one in the photo above it.

Chicago Metallic makes excellent pans although they are expensive and they are a bit larger than
the first photo. I loved them.

Popover Pan A popover pan has a

deeper cup than muffin tins and the cups are shaped differently. The bottom is smaller than the top
which helps the popover pop over.
Pie Plates There are metal and
ceramic pie plates as well as the glass ones above. They come in 9″ and 10″ diameters. The 9″
standard pie pan, as seen in the front, has a depth of about 1 1 /2 inches. The 10″ deep dish version
pictured in the back has a depth of about 2 inches. I prefer glass because I can see how the crust is
baking and coloring. Both of these are by Pyrex and can be found at Walmarts. They are the least
expensive pie plates around.

Deep Dish Tart Pan

 This is a deep dish quiche pan with
a removable bottom. They come in 8″, 9″ and 10″ x 2″ deep sizes. At the shop we used the 9″ size
for our Deep Dish Tarts. I was often asked what the difference was between a pie and a tart. The
answer was nothing except tarts have a fluted edge and pies don’t. Also, the tarts did not have a top
crust. The were finished with crumbles or streusels. As you can see, the removable bottom made it
very easy to get them out of the pans.

Ceramic Quiche Pans These

provide a finished look to quiches served in a dish. If they are to be removed from the pan, a two
piece pan, as above is more useful. These come in individual and various larger sizes.
Individual Tart Pans These are
assorted individual tart pans of various sizes. Some with removable bottoms.

Souffle Dishes In addition to

soufflés these various dishes can be used for puddings, creme brûlées, custards and a variety of
other desserts. The dishes come in different sizes. Pilliveyt in France makes a thin, study beautiful
soufflé dish but there are many others. Just make sure they are oven proof.
Miscellaneous Pans

Hamburger Bun Pan I have no idea

why I bought this. Still haven’t used it. Don’t do this!

Madeleine Pans These pans are for

a specific shaped pastry. The original madeleine was nothing more than sponge and had to be
eaten quickly as they dried out quickly. I used them with different batters for their shape. In the front
is a pan with mini madeleines and in the back is the regular size. They add a great deal to a sweets
tray.
Pastry Tips

These tips are others we used in

addition to the ones that were featured in the book. The four tips are “B” tips. The tines are much
closer together and give a different look from an open or closed star. The tip below is a Bismarck tip
and is used to insert a filling into a doughnut, pastry or cupcake. Its long shank allows for deep
penetration into the product so the filling can go deep inside.
Pastry Cutters

The top cutter has a wavy edge that

gives a pretty rippled look to the pastry or cookie. The pizza cutter is a quick way to cut long or short
pieces of dough.
Pot Holders Ok – so this is the
grandmother in me. My grandson made these for me and I just love them. But they are useful to
protecting my hands when handling hot pans. Oven gloves or mitts are also very good.

Rolling Pins I have a rolling pin

collection but these are the two I use on a daily basis. The wooden rolling pin is useful for doughs
that are not heavy in butter which tends to soften quickly and stick to the wood. I also like it for
doughs that are wide. I use this one a lot when I am rolling doughs that are placed between sheets
of waxed paper.

The marble rolling pin is very heavy and is my go to pin for doughs that need to be kept chilled. The
marble picks up the cold from the doughs and helps keep butter heavy doughs from softening too
quickly.
Heat Gun This is a blow drier and is
a great tool for releasing cakes and tarts by gently heating the rim of the pan and sliding it down to
free the dessert. We used a vinyl tile removing gun which is a much hotter heat gun at the shop as
we needed to release a large number of items in any given day.

At the restaurant I use a big blow torch that really moves things along. I don’t recommend it for
home use.
Can Openers

There are two types of can openers

above. The first one was given to me by my husband as my hands are no longer as strong as they
used to be. It works as a ratchet which needs less strength. The opener on the bottom is for cans of
liquids that will pour out of the hole made. Make sure a second hole is punched across from the
original one or the liquid may not pour out.

Pastry has not only been my profession, but my passion. If there is anything in particular you would
like to see or any questions about baking or pastry, please let me know. Be sure to subscribe so you
don't miss a post.