1. Baking sheets
Baking sheets are flat metal trays used to bake cookies, biscuits and pastries that do not need to be cooked in a mould. Good baking sheets should be made from steel, preferably with a non-stick, oven-safe coating such as Teflon, and should feel heavy - flimsy, lighter baking sheets are more likely to bend out of shape or buckle when in the oven, which causes heat to distribute unevenly. It's also a good idea to choose baking sheets with a large lip, which makes taking them out of the oven while wearing oven mitts easier.
2. Loose-bottomed cake tin
If you are not baking a cake made from two halves sandwiched together, you will need a deep cake tin made from non-stick coated metal. Invest in one with a loose or removable bottom, so the cake can be turned out easily once cooked. The size you will need obviously depends on the size of your oven, but a 23cm tin is generally the best average size.
3. Loaf tin
Loaf tins are good for baking breads, brioches and loaf-shaped cakes. Choose a solid, heavy rectangular tin which will not buckle or bend in the oven, preferably with rounded corners so the contents are much less likely to burn or scorch.
4. Pastry cutters
Pastry cutters are used to shape biscuits, cookies and pastries to your own preference and can make baking more fun. They generally come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit all your baking needs - hearts, stars, animals and gingerbread-man cutters are just a few examples of novelty pastry cutters on offer, as well as the standard round cutters, with either plain or fluted edges, for normal round biscuits. Novelty-shaped baking tins, such as hearts or Christmas trees, are also fun for seasonal or themed baking.
5. Springform cake tin
This two-piece tin has a spring-loaded latch on its side, which, when unclasped, means you can lift the sides and bottom of the tin off easily. This type of tin is ideal if you are making something which would otherwise be hard to turn out from the pan, such as a cheesecake. Make sure the clip locks tightly around the cake mixture, otherwise it may leak out from the sides or the bottom of the tin. Springform tins can come with either flat or indented removable bottoms, which are interchangeable depending on whichever you prefer.
6. Loose-bottomed tart tin
These are great for making sweet dessert tarts as well as savoury tarts and quiches. They come in a range of sizes - smaller ones make individual-sized tarts, which are great for starters or desserts at dinner parties. Invest in one with a loose bottom, for turning out the tart easily, and with fluted edges for a nicer effect when the pastry is cooked. As with cake tins, tart tins made from steel with a non-stick, oven-safe coating such as Teflon are the best option.
7. A good rolling pin
Every baker working with dough and pastry needs a good rolling pin, and the simpler the better. A simple wooden rolling pin is generally the most effective - if you choose one with handles, make sure they stay stationary as the pin is being used, otherwise you may find your knuckles will dent the pastry or dough.
8. Fairy cake and muffin tins
For your fairy cake tin, choose a shallow steel tray with as many indentations as possible - baking more all at once will save you time and effort. Steel muffin tins, which can also be used to bake cupcakes, are better than the recently popular silicone version as the cakes keep their shape better when baked and the tins are easier to wash up.
9. Cooling rack
A cooling rack is a must-have when baking - once cooked, hot baked food needs to be turned out of its tin onto a metal cooling rack to prevent it from becoming soggy as steam starts to condense on the cake’s surfaces. Once turned out on to a cooling rack, heat will quickly escape from all sides of the cake, leaving it moist and cool without being soggy.
10. Cake decorating extras
Icing your cakes and biscuits is a fun and novel way of adding a finishing touch – invest in a cake decoration set with pastry bags and different sized piping tube. Cake stencils are also a fun way of creating patterns on biscuits and cakes with icing or chocolate powder.
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