• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

PASTRY BRUSHES Two basic pastry brushes, one with nylon bristles, the other with natural, are essential. Durable nylon bristles are best for brushing melted butter on muffin tins and other baking pans; they are also great for brushing glazes and sauces onto meats and vegetables. Natural bristles are softer than nylon; use them to apply glazes to pies, cakes, and tarts. Though not essential, a third brush, reserved and labeled as a “dry brush,” is very helpful for sweeping away excess flour from dough when rolling it out as well as excess crumbs from cakes before frosting.

PASTRY TIPS Pastry tips allow you to create decorative toppings on everything from hors d’oeuvres to birthday cakes and holiday cookies. They can be purchased individually or in sets; the sets provide a variety of options as well as a convenient storage case. Most sets also come with a plastic coupler, which has two parts: a piece that fits inside the pastry bag (where the tip usually goes) and a ring that screws on the outside, allowing you to lock the pastry tip in place. The coupler allows you to use the same pastry bag to pipe different decorations.

PIE DISHES Because metals can react with some acidic fruits, your best bet is to buy glass or ceramic pie dishes. A 9-inch pan is the most commonly called for, but 8-or 10-inch ones are versatile options. If you bake frequently, consider buying a deep-dish pan.

RAMEKINS Traditionally used for baking pots de crème and crème brûlées, these small ovenproof dishes also enable you to make individual-size cakes, custards, soufflés, puddings, and frozen mousses. They can help you organize your ingredients as you get started, too; for example, measure spices into one dish, lemon zest into another.

ROLLING PINS There are two types of pins: one with handles on both ends, called a baker’s pin, and one without, called a French pin. When choosing a baker’s pin, look for one that rotates around an axis attached to the handles (rather than handles that are stationary); those with ball bearings inside roll particularly smoothly. Most baker’s pins are made of wood; marble is also a good choice for rolling out pastry dough, since it stays cool. French pins, constructed of solid wood, are lighter and longer than baker’s pins. They allow you to distribute pressure evenly, and to roll out large pieces of dough.

ROTATING CAKE STAND A turntable is essential for decorating cakes. It elevates the cake, making it easier to reach and more comfortable to work on. It also allows the cake to rotate as you work, making it easier to apply frosting and pipe decorations.

SOUFFLÉ DISH A 2-quart dish made of porcelain, with straight, ridged sides and a flat bottom, will work for most soufflé recipes. It can also be used for baking casseroles and other savory dishes.

SPRINGFORM PAN Cheesecakes and other dense, moist cakes (such as tortes) call for this type of pan, which features a spring-loaded clamp allowing the side of the pan to be removed when the cake is ready to be unmolded. Invest in a heavy-duty nonreactive pan with a protruding lip, which keeps thin batter from leaking through. (If you are setting the pan in a water bath during cooking, wrap the bottom and side with heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping into the pan.) Because of its removable sides, a springform pan can also double as a tart pan.

TART AND TARTLET PANS These pans have removable bottoms and come in a wide range of sizes; some have fluted edges, others straight. The smaller pans are ideal for hors d’oeuvres as well as individual tarts. Flan rings, essentially bottomless tartlet pans that are set on a baking sheet, can often be used instead.

menus

SPRING

SIMPLE BUFFET BRUNCH

SERVES 6

yogurt parfaits with blueberries and lemon

granola with flaxseed

wilted baby spinach with crispy shallots

bread pudding with ham, leeks, and cheese

currant scones

PASSOVER SEDER

SERVES 10

matzo ball soup with duck meatballs

apple charoset

brisket with dried fruits