Basics - The Five Essentials

Hello everyone, The Singing Baker here! 

Just thought I'd start off with a little post about the secrets of baking - some of them will be obvious, but others may never have crossed your mind! 

I started baking as a hobby back in 2015. I fell in love with the youtube channels and tutorials quickly, and slowly built up my kitchen supplies. The basics are simple - Scales, Spatula, Hand Whisk and Baking tins. With only 5 pieces of equipment, you'd be surprised what you can bake! 

I'm a big believer in quality over quantity so over the last five years I've invested in the best products I could find: 

Scales

These are a BIG part of baking, good scales means a precise recipe and after all, baking is a science so its key to get this right. The best scales to get are those with all units, that way you can change from a metric recipe to an imperial recipe with ease. 

Spatula

I've required far too many spatulas over the years - big, small, off set, straight... the list is endless! I would say the first to get is a normal spatula to get every gram of batter out those mixing bowls. Then you can grab an off set spatula to level off your mixtures (this helps prevent doming in the oven). 

Hand Whisk

Now, I mean the electric kind. Of course you can use a wooden spoon, but that's too time consuming for me - plus my poor arms kill after a while! I have a small hand whisk that I find so helpful when baking any cakes or cupcakes, it not only saves time, but whips the air in well for those light sponges. For my 21st, my parents bought me a Kenwood Chef stand alone mixer. This has changed my life! Baking is now SO much easier, so if you have a serious baking addiction, I would invest in one! 

Baking Tins

These can really make or break your bakes. Baking tins help your cakes rise evenly and bake evenly too. A bad tin could mean dipped middles, burnt outsides and super high domes. I have invested in a few mid range ones from the Sainsbury's Heavy Gauge range, they are great if you don't want to spend a lot but still want even bakes.

I hope this has helped you on your baking journey, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for upcoming recipes and more tips and tricks! 

Stay safe, 
The Singing Baker