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Mixing Bowls: These come in various sizes and materials such as stainless steel, glass, or ceramic. They are used for combining ingredients and mixing batters.
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Measuring Cups and Spoons: Essential for accurately measuring dry and liquid ingredients. Measuring cups typically come in sets with measurements ranging from 1/4 cup to 1 cup, while measuring spoons measure smaller quantities, typically ranging from 1/8 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon.
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Whisk: A whisk is used for blending ingredients smoothly, aerating mixtures, and whipping cream or egg whites.
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Spatula: This tool comes in various shapes and sizes, including offset spatulas for frosting cakes and rubber spatulas for scraping bowls and folding ingredients.
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Pastry Brush: Used for applying glazes, egg washes, or butter to pastries, bread, and other baked goods. They come in both natural and synthetic bristles.
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Rolling Pin: Essential for rolling out dough to an even thickness for pies, cookies, pastries, and more. They can be made of wood, marble, or metal.
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Baking Sheets and Pans: These come in various sizes and materials, including aluminum, stainless steel, and non-stick coatings. They're used for baking cookies, cakes, bread, and other baked goods.
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Cooling Racks: These elevated grids allow air to circulate around baked goods, preventing them from becoming soggy as they cool.
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Pastry Cutter or Bench Scraper: Used for cutting butter into flour for pastry dough or for portioning dough. Bench scrapers are also handy for cleaning work surfaces.
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Pastry Bag and Tips: Essential for piping frosting, icing, or decorative elements onto cakes, cupcakes, and other pastries. Tips come in various shapes and sizes for different decorating techniques.
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Kitchen Scale: While not exclusively for baking, a kitchen scale is invaluable for measuring ingredients by weight, offering precision and accuracy.
These are just a few essential baking utensils, but there are many more specialized tools available depending on the specific recipes and techniques you're using.