Trying to figure out what to get your favorite baker this holiday season but just can't figure out what? We're here to rescue you from your undecided holiday woes. I've compiled a list of several baking tools that are sure to enhance baking capabilities and make the whole deal much more fun. Maybe next year they'll invent a dessert tree and baking will become obsolete. Until then, read on to see what we recommend this holiday season.
Lodge Logic Round Griddle
The seasoned cast iron Round Griddle from Lodge is great for making crepes because they won't stick like when you try to make them with stainless-steel cookware (don't even try it). It's a better alternative than teflon crepe pans because cast iron lasts forever. A side bonus is it's aerodynamic shape that enables you to hit robbers over the head with ease. This griddle is also very affordable, coming in at under $20.
Ateco Revolving Cake Stand, Model 612
Like to decorate cakes and display them too? The Revolving Cake Stand, Model 612 from Ateco has a sturdy cast iron base and an aluminum plate that rotates, giving you easy access to your cake from all angles so you can decorate just like the pros. This under $50 stand is also a great way to display your final work of art.
Viking Manual 5-Speed Handheld Mixer
Stand mixers are arguably not really necessary if you're baking small batches of vegan eats; creaming and beating for long periods of time is more suited to animal-product-based baking. A mixer is still an indispensible kitchen tool however and I prefer handheld ones for their ease of use and quick cleanup. The Manual 5-Speed Handheld Mixer from Viking packs a 250 Watt punch which is very important- take that from someone who once blew out a mixer. This under $100 mixer also comes with two sets of beaters; one for mixing and one for beating. The 5 foot long cord winds into the mixer's body for easy storage.
Jadite Mixing Bowls
Looking to bring more retro functionality into your baker's kitchen? Jadite mixing bowls from Anchor Hocking's now defunct Fire-King line are works of art that are very well designed. They don't make them anymore but they're still easy to find at places like Ebay and various antique stores. One great thing about these mixing bowls is that they can be used both for baking your treats and serving them later.
More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally
Fran Costigan, who teaches a vegan baking course at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City, knows what she's talking about. In More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturallly she spills her knowlege and a ton of tasty dessert recipes for things like gels, creams, mousses, puddings, and sauces, cookies, bars, little bites, cobblers, crisps, biscuits, muffins, cakes (basic to elaborate), pies and tarts as well as fillings, frostings, glazes, and frozen desserts. The book is designed as a complete course in vegan baking.
Sweet Utopia
Sweet Utopia, by Sharon Valencik offers informative vegan baking tips, ingredient conversions and troubleshooting. It's a great way to get into vegan baking or hone your skills to a higher level with recipes like Midnight Cake with Chocolate Frosting, Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches, Coconut Tiramisu, Mixed Berry Cheesecake, Gingerbread Guys, Chocolate Mousse, Lemon Berry Tart, Fudgy Chip Cookies, Cappuccino Custard, Pudding Parfaits, and Three-layer Cheesecake Bars. This book also features stunning food photography by Milan Valencik so you'll have a good idea of what your final result will be before they're gobbled up in minutes.
The Joy of Vegan Baking
The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a great book to have on hand for improving your skills or just starting out. It's extremely comprehensive, containing invaluable information on various ingredients and methods. It features detailed recipes like Chocolate Chip Scones, Cranberry Nut Bread, Lemon Cheesecake, Dessert Crepes, Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Chunks, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes, Raspberry Sorbet, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Soft Pretzels, Blueberry Cobbler, Chocolate Almond Brittle. There's also mouth watering photography throughout the beautifully laid out book.
Anchor Hocking Anchor Hocking Monaco Cake Stand
The Anchor Hocking Monaco Cake Stand is a great way to display not only your cakes but almost anything you bake. It's glass dome will keep things relatively fresh without resorting to unsightly Pyrex or Tupperware for a tacky-free presentation. The base can also be turned upside down and the glass dome turned upside down and placed on top of the base to turn into a punch bowl or serving bowl in pure Transformer fashion. It's under $15.
Taylor 5921N Commercial Grade Thermometer
Is knowing your actual oven temperature too much to ask? Apparently so because most oven thermometers are incorrect when it comes to telling you the temperature. This is because they usually use two layers of metal that expand and contract depending on the heat level. This causes a dial to turn that points to the temperature on the thermometer's face. The metal layers eventually wear out after ahile and don't expand and contract as they once did. The result is incorrect oven temperatures and burned treats. The Taylor 5921N Commercial Grade Thermometer solves this issue by using a non-mercury fluid to display the temperature old-skool style. It's a little harder to read but knowing that your oven temperature is actually what it says is worth it. I've been using this thermometer for the last couple months and couldn't be happier with it. It won't burden Santa too much because it's under $10.This list should keep you covered for awhile, ensuring tasty eats with minimal fuss. What baking tools are you looking for this holiday baking season? Let us know in the comments section below.
Xmas Tree Light by ssmallfry via Flickr
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