Simple tools and cooking equipment for the quick and easy tasks of mixing, shaping, and baking muffins and quick bread.
More likely than not, every home cook already has all the equipment necessary to make a batch of muffing or a loaf of quick bread.
Measuring tools make it easy to achieve the proper proportions. And virtually any mixing bowl and stirrers will do the job of combining the ingredients.
Muffing tins or loaf pans such as those shown here allow you to bake bread in a variety of sizes. If you like, seek out unusual muffin shapes-hearts, ears of corn, and scallops to add a more personal touch to your baking.
Cooking Equipment
Some most common and helpful cooking equipment are mentioned below:
Mixing Bowls
Choose high-sided, deep bowls for easier mixing. Large bowls hold dry ingredients. A smaller bowl, for liquid ingredients, has a lip for pouring.
Loaf pans
For baking quick bread in large, medium, and miniature sizes.
A large loaf pan, which measures 9x5x3 inches (23x13x7.5 cm) and holds 8 cups (64 fl oz/2 1),
or a medium pan, which measures 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inches (21 x 11 x 6 cm) in holds 6 cups (48 fl oz/1. 51).
You can also use a miniature pan, which generally measures 6x3x2 inches 915×7.5×5 cm) and holds about 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml).
Metal pans-her, tinned steel (large pan), dark stick-resistant aluminum (medium), and standard aluminum (mini) all conduct heat well; the dark pan absorbs heat faster, so the baking temperature may have to be decreased by 25˚f (15˚C)
Round loaf pan
Other baking pans such as the circular spring form pan shown here a square cake pan or a ring-shaped tube pan may be used to make different loaf shapes.
Rubber spatula
for scraping batters out of mixing bowls and for smoothing surfaces of batter in loaf pans. Choose sturdy, pliable rubber or silicone heads.
Flat Whisk
A flat open arrangement of wires mixes batters quickly and thoroughly.
Wooden spoon
The traditional tool of choice for mixing batters. Choose a good-quality spoon with a sturdy handle.
Metal spatula
A long, straight blade levels the surface of dry ingredients with the rims of measuring cups for accuracy.
Chef’s Knife
For general slicing, cutting, and chopping of ingredients, and for slicing baked loaves. Select a good-quality stain-resistant steel blade with a firmly anchored, comfortable handle.
Zest Grater
Small, sturdy, stainless-steel grating surface for finely grated citrus zest.
Zester
Small, sharp holes at end of the stainless-steel blade cut citrus zest into fine shreds. Choose a model with a sturdy, well-attached handle.
Wooden toothpicks
Choose wooden toothpicks for inserting into muffing to test them for doneness. For quick bread recipes, use a long, thin wooden skewer.
Muffin Tins
Tins for baking miniature (about 1 ½ tablespoon), standard (about 3 ½ fl oz/110ml), and oversized (about ¾ cup / 6 fl oz/180 ml) muffing. Small muffing may take a few minutes less to bake, oversized a few minutes more.
Whenever possible, choose stick-resistant tins. If the tins have dark surfaces, which absorb heat more easily, this may require lowering the temperature by 25˚F (15˚C) or baking for a shorter time.
Wire Cooling Rock
Allows air to circulator under-baked muffing and loaves for quick, even cooling. Choose racks with closely spaced wires.
Pot Holder and oven Mitt]
For removing muffing and loaf pans from the oven. Made of heavy, quilted cotton for good protection from heat, with one side of the potholder treated for fire resistance.
Liquid measuring cup
For accurate measuring of liquid ingredients. Choose heavy-duty heat-resistant glass, marked on one side in cups and ounces, on the other in milliliters. The lip and handle allow for easy pouring.
Measuring spoons
In graduated sizes, for measuring small quantities of ingredients such as baking powder and salt. Select good-quality, calibrated metal spoons with deep bowls.
Dry measuring cups
In graduated sizes, for accurate measuring of dry ingredients. Straight rims allow ingredients to be leveled for accuracy. Choose stainless steel for accuracy and sturdiness.
Wire whisk
For beating eggs or blending liquids before incorporating them into batters. Choose stainless steel.
Some Other Cooking Tips
