Nordic Ware Backyard Bugs Pan – Products I ♥

I haven’t done a “Product I ♥” since last April, doesn’t mean my pan collection has been at a standstill! Read more »

Products I ♥: Adjust-A-Cup

Ignore the gimmicky name… This is a great kitchen tool! It’s wonderful for measuring sticky ingredients, since you can push them out with the plunger, baking with peanut butter or honey becomes a cinch. Also you can make conversions in seconds because of the six different measuring columns.

Products I ♥: KitchenAid Artisan – Meet Betty!

This is the mother of all the products I ♥!

After the recreational cake decorating class I took at ICE, I knew a stand mixer was an absolute necessity. If you are a little more than an occasional baker this is truly indispensable. Plus with all the attachments available you can do almost anything with it! I was gifted the ice cream attachment for my bday! And the ice cream was great!

I have the mixer above the Empire Red Artisan, her name is Betty. Yes I named my mixer! And you know what? I love her to bits! Without Betty I’m sure I couldn’t whip ganache so nicely.

Products I ♥: Even Bake Strips

My cakes always domed when using round pans and I ended up having to carve most of top of the cake off, until one day I stumbled upon the  Even Bake Strips online and decided to give it a shot. Skeptical I was (this was written in my yoda voice,  I am watching Empire Strikes Back right now), but after my first try using the strips, I realized my interwebs peeps we’re correct, the cakes came out level and more evenly baked than I had ever experienced before.

So to illustrate I baked a simple cake, one pan with a stripe and one without, of course since I had to give you guys documentation, there wasn’t THAT much difference between the cakes, see for yourself.

With the Even Bake Strips

Without the Even Bake Strips

As you can see the cake baked with the strip rised(sp?) evenly and more and than the one without, also there wasn’t too much crustiness around the edges. On the pan without the strip the edges rised much quicker than the rest of the cake, on side even falling over the rest. They also didn’t come out the same size which is nice when you’re stacking them.

Anyways, I swear by these, let me know what you think.

Products I ♥: Oven Thermometers

Polder Oven Thermometer

Baking is a very exact science, which is why it can be so frustrating in the beginning. The notion that it’s pure chemistry evades us while we’re in throws of baking perfectly aromatic cake comfort creations. (I might be a little drunk. oh wait, it’s 10:30 AM, and I am drinking tea!)

Anyways! One tool you absolutely need is an Oven Thermometer! Most ovens are a little off and the right temperature is key to good results along with preheating to the correct temperature. One thing I learned from getting mine was that the amount of time I allowed for preheating wasn’t nearly enough. So there you have it!