Baking sheets A few baking sheets, at least, should always be on hand. You can never have enough baking sheets.
Blowtorch Although not required for any of the recipes in this cookbook, I think every kitchen should have a culinary blow torch. They are perfect for last-minute browning of meringue and for making a brûlée top for custards.
Box grater You probably already have one. These are handy for grating chocolate and zesting citrus rind.
Candy thermometer To cook sugar for various desserts, you will need a candy thermometer. When you purchase a new one, test to see if it is accurate by dipping it into boiling water to see if it reaches boiling point—212 degrees F. The most important thing to know about using a candy thermometer is to remove it from the cooking mixture 1 or 2 degrees before it reaches the desired temperature, as the mixture will continue to cook when removed from heat. Buy a good-quality thermometer that reaches up to 400 degrees F.
Cookie scoops Available at most kitchen supply stores, these ensure that each cookie has an exact amount of dough so they all come out the same size.
Cutters Keep a supply of cookie cutters and assorted round cutters to cut cake.
Cutting boards Although I have been given some beautiful wooden cutting boards as gifts, I reserve them for savory cooking and use only plastic cutting boards that will not retain flavors or odors for my dessert making.
Digital timer A good digital timer is essential to making many of the desserts in this cookbook for preparation times, cooking, and baking times. Having more than one is helpful.
Electric blender For quick batters, making crêpes, waffle batter, and sauces, a blender comes in very handy.
Electric hand mixer Instead of whisking by hand, a small electric hand mixer speeds up the process and lessens the amount of work involved in creating volume with ease.
Electric stand mixer I cannot live without my KitchenAid mixer. A heavy-duty stand mixer on a sturdy base with whisk and paddle attachments is one of the must-haves for making many desserts. A trick I learned from my father is to have two or three mixing bowls and whisks for the mixer so you can beat egg yolks, then switch bowls and whisks and beat egg whites, and if asked for, do another switch to beat heavy cream—without having to stop and wash a bowl and whisk to do each procedure. If budget permits, it is a labor-saving solution.
Food processor My food processor of choice has always been a Cuisinart, and I do everything in it. For desserts, it is indispensable.
Ice cream machine I make lots of sorbets and ice creams in the summer. I love fresh fruit sorbets and using unusual ingredients to make ice creams. If you make frozen treats often, purchase the best ice cream machine within your budget, as it will last longer and work more efficiently and quickly.
Ice cream scoop Get a couple of sizes of scoops, small and large, round or oval, to scoop your homemade ice creams and sorbets. Also have one with a sweeping blade for scooping batters and doughs.
Instant-read thermometer For testing the temperature of liquid before dissolving active dry yeast, it is easiest to use an instant-read thermometer. It is also very helpful in making candies.
KnivesSharp knives of all sizes and a good sharpener are needed, as well as a palette knife for frosting cakes.
Measuring cups One or two sets of measuring cups, from 1/8 cup to 1 cup, are a must for measuring dry ingredients. Clear glass measuring cups for liquids, including 1-cup, 2-cup, and 4-cup sizes, are important to have so you can use more than one during a recipe without having to stop and wash it.
Measuring spoons One or two sets of measuring spoons, from 1/8 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon, are valuable to have when baking.
Measuring tape I keep a measuring tape in my pastry equipment drawer as I often want to measure a rolled-out pastry so that I can cut it into squares or triangles or to fit it into a specific baking pan.
Microplane You will need a citrus microplane and, perhaps, one with larger holes if you would like to grate chocolate.
Mini muffin tins These are useful for making bite-size treats as well as tiny muffins.
Mixing bowls At the minimum you should have a small, medium, and large set of mixing bowls, as well as a medium-size heatproof bowl.
Nutmeg grinder Spices taste much better if they are freshly ground before using, so a nutmeg grater dedicated to grinding a whole nutmeg is a must.
Oven thermometer Every time I use a different oven in a different location or house or even professional kitchen, I always check it first with an oven thermometer because all ovens vary due to age, how heavily they have been used, and how well they have been maintained. If oven temperatures are not accurate, then baking times will not be accurate and recipes will not work as they should. In addition to the condition of each and every oven, baking at different altitudes will alter results. In fact, I use an oven thermometer every time I bake, just to make sure.
Follow the timing directions for the recipes in this cookbook, but always begin to visually check about 10 minutes before and then every 5 minutes thereafter to assure that your baked dessert looks good and a tester comes out clean. Especially when you are baking desserts, attaining and maintaining the correct oven temperature makes the difference between failure and success.
Reduce recommended cooking temperature by 25–50 degrees if you are using a convection oven.
Pans and molds Recipes in this cookbook will call for removable-bottom tart pans (9-inch and 10-inch, both round and rectangular), springform cake pans (9-inch and 10-inch), round cake pans (8-inch, 9-inch, and at least 2 inches deep), pie dishes, gratin and baking dishes, 8-inch square baking pans, Bundt pans, 8-inch and 9-inch soufflé dishes, and a couple of 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
Parchment paper Buy parchment paper for lining baking sheets and pans to prevent sticking during baking.
Pastry brushes Any size natural-bristle pastry brush will do. I have a flat one, a large one that looks like a paint brush that I use for dusting flour across dough I want to roll out, and an oval one. I use them for brushing egg washes on tart crusts, for bathing cake layers with syrups, and the oval one I use most for delicate touches of glaze on a thin crust or for dipping into melted chocolate to paint a dessert plate.
Pie weights Do you know how much rice and dried beans I have used over the years for weighing down pie and tart crusts? Why didn’t I get pie weights sooner? They are great.
Rolling pins I have a really heavy old rolling pin I inherited from my grandmother, and I find that the heavier the rolling pin, the easier it is to roll out dough. Find a marble one if you can, and put it in the refrigerator to chill before rolling out your dough. I also have a fun one carved with fleurs-de-lys to roll over pie crust to decorate it. Smaller ones without handles are good for rolling small pastries and flattening cookies.
Spatulas Have on hand at least two medium-size and two large-size spatulas for using together to lift cakes or breads or to use singly to lift cookies and candies. Have several sizes of flexible rubber spatulas to fold mixtures together.
Spoons Keep a set of wooden spoons, from small to medium to large, for stirring mixtures on the stove.
Strainer You should have a fine-mesh wire strainer to sift flours and other dry ingredients.
Whisks Try to find a hand whisk with a non-slip grip to use for whisking sauces, eggs, and batters.
