OVEN THERMOMETER. The most basic way to avoid the vast majority of baking problems. It sounds so obvious, but then, most solutions in life are.
ELECTRIC STAND MIXER. Many things in this book can be made with an electric hand mixer, which is what I grew up with. But baking becomes extra fun if you can make the investment in one of these machines. I am also a big fan of paddle attachments with a squeegee-like edge on them to save bowl scraping time during mixing.
SMALL OFFSET SPATULAS. I cannot do without a couple of offsets in my drawer. Great for frosting cakes, smoothing batters into pans, and the ideal thin blade for loosening and lifting items from pans.
BENCH OR PASTRY SCRAPER. It goes by both names, but the general idea is a stainless-steel rectangle with a straight edge and a solid handle across the top. It’s ideal for lifting and moving pastry while rolling, folding soft doughs, cutting doughs into neat portions, cleaning off a work surface, and more.
DIGITAL SCALE. For years I exclusively used cups and spoons. It’s how our grandmothers and mothers baked. It’s the American way. I totally get it. But when I got the hang of weighing ingredients, my baking life got even happier—better results, more efficient, and cleaner with fewer dirty dishes.
FLEXIBLE PLASTIC BOWL SCRAPER. The plastic card type. It’s like an extension of your hand, so much better than a spatula. Get every last bit of dough or batter out of a bowl. Waste not, want not, and all of that.
SIEVES IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT SIZES. Next to peeling garlic and melting chocolate, sieving things is my most-hated kitchen task. But when it comes to remedying clumpy dry ingredients, removing errant lumps from custards, and making ice creams silky smooth, you’ve gotta get with the sieve.
FISH SPATULA. Of all the handled things rattling in my kitchen drawers, this is what I reach for the most, for both baking and cooking. Its thin, flexible, vented blade allows for lifting even the most delicate baked good from a pan or baking sheet. Try making pancakes with a fish spatula, and you’ll never use anything else.
NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY. I don’t use it much it for cooking, but for baking I do. For me, it’s the most convenient, foolproof way to grease. I also like that it doesn’t cause overbrowning or creating a thicker or firmer crust when I don’t want it. So, you’ll notice I prep almost every pan with it in these recipes, but use the method you prefer (butter, shortening, homemade concoctions, etc.), knowing the results may vary.
A HEAVY ROLLING DOWEL. It’s my rolling pin of choice (see here about choosing your forever pin). Mine is maple, about 19 inches/48 cm long, and I love it.