This basic list is for the college student who owns nothing but a plastic spatula and maybe a set of measuring cups, but wants to bake an occasional batch of brownies or cupcakes. (For those of you looking to boost an already-stocked baker’s kitchen, see this list of 10 More Items to Add to Your Baking Arsenal). Whether you plan to bake just a couple times a year, or are hoping to upgrade your entire baking collection (newly engaged, anyone?), here are a few must-have tools for any baker’s kitchen. I’ve linked some good options you can buy on a budget, as well as my own personal favorites which might cost a bit more.
Did you know that vanilla extract is just vodka infused with vanilla beans? Yes, really. And now that Costco sells vanilla beans, making your own vanilla extract is even cheaper than buying it at the store!
Day 1
Day 3
(Day 50 to come in… 47 days).
Sounds a little too easy, but there it is. Sometimes the simplest things are the best.
How to Assemble Your Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump
We had our baby: AWESOME.
She was breastfeeding well: WONDERFUL.
I was waking up every 2-3 hours to feed her: EXHAUSTING.
I wanted to start pumping milk so my husband could help with feedings: REASONABLE.
But here’s the problem: I was so, so exhausted that the thought of reading that thick booklet and figuring out how to set everything up properly was overwhelming. It’s actually not too bad, but when you are as tired as most new parents are those first few weeks, it can really be daunting.
My favorite kind of truffle is simply a chilled ganache dipped in chocolate, so naturally I would enjoy a version of this as a chunky mix-in for ice cream! David Lebovitz has this great recipe that includes some alcohol and corn syrup, which helps keep them soft and pliable for scooping in ice cream. I like to drop these into his Earl Grey Tea ice cream, and imagine they would be good paired with other ice cream flavors such as coffee, vanilla bean, or anything else that goes well with chocolate!
Whether you’ve just moved into your own apartment or you’ve just decided you want to make a batch of cookies for this rainy day, every kitchen should have these basic ingredients for baking. Chances are you will still need basic refrigerator items, too, like eggs and butter, but having these pantry staples ahead of time will save you a lot of hassle. There’s nothing quite as annoying as getting halfway into a recipe, batter-dripping spatula in hand, only to realize you don’t have a key ingredient to finish! So stock up, and happy baking!
Slightly sweetened whipped cream is a great way to add some extra comfort to your hot cocoa, balance out the sweetness in a rich chocolate cake, or to lighten up some pastry cream for a pie filling (banana cream pie, anyone?).
All you really need to do is add a tablespoon of powdered sugar to a cup of heavy cream. Unlike baking, the proportions are approximate, depending on how sweet you want it. You don’t really need a recipe for this, but I’ll provide one in case you are a rule-follower like me.
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