Equipment

Before I start proper, I wanted to make a few points about equipment. Of course specific recipes are going to need specific tins, cutters etc., but this is just a brief list of the things those who bake really can't do without!

• Wooden spoon
• Sieve
• Large mixing bowl - bigger is generally better, less chance of the mixture ending up outside the bowl!
• Kitchen scales - baking is a science and precision can be crucial!
• Cooling rack - it's important to cool things properly or they can end up soggy. You can always improvise with a grill rack though.
• Electric hand mixer - this might seem like a big expense but it is SO worth it. Saves a lot of time whisking things like cream and egg whites, and you can do 'all in one' cakes which are much easier than combining everything by hand. I have this Kenwood one and it's great.