Essential Baking Supplies Every Baker Needs to Buy Online
The vast list of baking ingredients that can be stored in the cupboard, fridge, or freezer is limited only by the available space. But when a person is new to baking or resetting up the first kitchen, he or she will be glad to know that the list of the bulk baking supplies can be narrowed down to essential ingredients. The essential ingredients listed in this article act as the building blocks of the baking pantry. Of course, one baker’s essential ingredient can be the basic one for the other. With more baking experience, a baker will start to refine the essential ingredients.
Flour
One of the most essential ingredients from the bulk baking supplies is flour. There are different types of flour a baker can use to bake everything from cookies to pancakes to muffins and these are:
- All-purpose flour:
All-purpose flour, made from a blend of hi-gluten hard wheat and low-gluten soft wheat, is used to bake muffins, pancakes, and cookies.
- Whole wheat flour:
Whole wheat flour is known to retain the wheat germ and is oftentimes used as an alternative to all-purpose flour in the recipes so that the nutritional profile can be boosted.
- Bread flour:
Bread flour contains more protein and gluten. It is considered perfect for baking chewy yeast bread.
- Cake flour:
It is lower in protein and gluten and is chemically treated and finely ground so that cakes can be baked with a lighter texture.
Leaveners
Levers cause chemical reactions that further fill the batter and dough with tiny gas bubbles making the baked goods rise. Leaveners are classified into two types – chemical and biological.
- Baking soda:
Baking soda is an alkaline chemical leaveners that works well when combined with acid and heat. Buttermilk, yogurt, brown sugar, sour cream, etc are some acidic ingredients that activate baking soda.
- Baking powder:
Baking powder is basically a baking soda ready-mixed with powdered cornstarch and acid. When baking powder is the only leavener in the recipe there is no need to add an acidic ingredient.
- Yeast
It is a biological leaver that works more slowly than chemical ones. The active dry yeast or instant yeast can be stored in the pantries for months.
Sugar
There are different types of sugar included in the bulk baking supplies and these are:
- Granulated sugar:
Granulated sugar is made from the juice of sugarcane or beets, and can be further refined to look white.
- Brown sugar:
It is refined sugar with molasses added the proportion of which accounts for the range of color and flavor in a light, medium, and dark brown sugar.
Salt
Different type of salt used to bake a recipe is granulated table salt and sea salt. Granulated table salt is used in everyday baking. And crunchy, flaky sea salt is oftentimes sprinkled across sweet baked goods to make them tastier.
Dairy
The basic dairy products that a baker needs for baking goods are unsalted butter, large eggs, and milk. Unsalted butter is considered the default choice for baking unless salted butter is specified in the particular recipe. Large eggs are needed to bind ingredients used for baking together. When it comes to providing moisture to the batter, oftentimes milk is used by the bakers. Some more dairy products that are used in baking are buttermilk, cream cheese, alternative milk, etc.
Fats: Oil and Shortening
Vegetable oil and butter are used for recipes and also for oiling the baking pans. Shortening is a solid vegetable fat used by some bakers either as a replacement for butter or in combination with the butter so that tender baked goods like pie crusts can be baked.
Extracts, Flavorings, and Add-ins
Extracts and flavoring are used to add a decent aroma to the baked goods. Add-ins like chocolate, dried fruits, nuts, peanuts, jams, jellies, and so on are used to add nutrition, color, and flavor to the baked goods.
Conclusion
Whether one is completely new to baking or looking forward to expanding the home baking skills or just interested in making scrumptious desserts and baked goods, it all starts with the ingredients. The above-listed are some essential ingredients that should be part of the baker’s bulk baking supplies.
