Baking is an art! With practice and patience, you too can become a baking artist. The thing to consider is the stocking up of your pantry with the correct ingredients that you will need for your bakes. We will tell you about some of the things your baking cabinet should include.
Most baking ingredients can be bought in bulk, and most are also non-perishable, which means they can last over long periods without spoiling. So, once you have stocked up your pantry with these ingredients, they can be used repeatedly to produce a large number of cookies, muffins, cakes, and other items.
Must-Have Baking Pantry Ingredients
Some of the essential ingredients that are necessary to have in your pantry to fulfill your baking requirements are mentioned below.
All-Purpose Flour
The name itself says it all! This flour is used to make almost everything – cakes, pancakes, and baguettes. The white unbleached variety is the best choice.
However, depending on the recipe or your preference, you can choose other alternatives like rye, buckwheat, or gluten-free flour. Pastry flours, bread flours, and cake flours are other specific kinds that have their own unique balance of ingredients.
Sugar
Your pantry should never run out of granulated sugar, which is the sugar or sweetener that is used to make countless baked items.
Furthermore, confectioners sugar which is the powdered form of white sugar and is used for lighter recipes, icings, and frostings. This is also a must-have in your pantry. Another alternate sugar is brown sugar which can be either light or dark. The outcome of your recipe does not change much whether you use light brown or dark brown sugar.
Baking Powder
This ingredient is a leavening agent and helps in creating light baked and airy products. If you add baking powder, you don’t need to add anything else for the leavening process to activate.
However, if you use baking soda in your recipes, it does not activate on its own and has to be paired with an acidic ingredient such as citric juice or vinegar for it to work.
Cocoa Powder
When you are making chocolate recipes, cocoa powder is the main ingredient. It is a key item to have in your pantry and is said to have a large number of benefits. You shouldn’t feel guilty after baking and having your favorite chocolate recipes.
Dried Fruit and Nuts
Walnuts, Pecans, Raisins, Almonds, Figs, and Dates are some of the dried fruits and nuts that are an essential part of a baker’s pantry. These can also be kept in your freezer to maintain freshness.
Gelatin
Make sure that you have the unsweetened and unflavored version of gelatin in your pantry. You will need this gelatin to make your puddings, custards, and marshmallows, among other things.
Vanilla Extract
Pure Vanilla Extract, though a bit expensive, would be a better option. You could also think about buying other pure and natural extracts like almond extract to store in your pantry.
Shortening
Used in place of butter for more tender baking like in cookies or pies, this vegetable fat has a higher melting point than butter.
Final Thoughts
These are some of the basic ingredients that are worth storing in your pantry. They will help you rustle up a cake in no time at all, whenever you feel like having one.
Some other ingredients that can be stored in your baking pantry might be chocolates, flavorings, cheese, spices, and eggs! Keep all these ingredients in your pantry, fridge, or freezer, and you are ready to get baking!
