3.1 Baking and pastry equipment

Mixers

Mixing by hand works for some small batches of dough, but a commercial mixer saves time and effort. Two kinds are common in a bakeshop.

• The smaller mixer handles small batches of soft dough and is light enough to move around. It runs at three speeds. Start every mix on 1, the slowest. When the ingredients have come together, move up to 2 (medium) and then 3 (high). A metal disk with a pin on the front is where extra attachments fit.
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• The larger mixer comes in bowl sizes from 5 to 20 quarts, named for how much the bowl holds. A 20-quart model is the size most professional kitchens keep. Its front hub also takes attachments for grinding meat and cutting pasta.
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Each mixer comes with the same three attachments, and each one has its own job.

Cutting and rolling dough

A dough cutter divides a large piece of dough into equal portions in one stroke. One model, the Dutchess, cuts 36 portions at a time. The steps go like this:

• Put the dough in the metal tray, then slide the tray back into the machine with its handle facing out.
• Pull the long handle toward you. This presses the dough flat so it covers the whole cutting surface.
• Keep the handle down and release the cut lever. The blades come up through the dough.
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• Lift the handle. The dough is now in 36 pieces. The tabletop version has no rounder.

To work out how much dough to load, multiply the weight you want for one piece by 36, then divide by 16 to turn ounces into pounds.

A dough sheeter rolls dough out fast and to an even thickness. Dough passes between two rollers, and the operator closes the gap between them a little on each pass until the sheet is as thin as needed. Sheeters can stand on the floor or sit on a bench; on a bench model, you feed the dough through by hand. Which one a shop owns depends on its space and its work.

Proofing

Ovens, fryer and stove

A deck oven stacks separate ovens, called decks, into one unit, for example four decks in one piece of equipment. It bakes mainly by conduction: heat moves into the stone floor of each deck, and from the stone into the bread or the pan sitting on it. Radiant heat reaching into the dough helps as a second source. Each deck can run at its own temperature, so different products can bake at the same time. Steam can be injected to help build a crust, and artisan bread bakers depend on deck ovens for well-crusted loaves.

A convection oven heats with a fan that pushes hot air around, which gives even heat. It covers a wide range of temperatures, so the same oven can slowly dry meringues or bake bread. It can also add steam, which helps rolls come out shiny and lets bread dough rise fully.

A double-basket fryer runs on gas and has two sections that fry independently. A divider keeps the oil in each section apart, so one food does not contaminate the oil used for another.

A commercial stove, such as a six-burner gas range, gives a high BTU output for commercial-style cooking. It has a storage cabinet underneath and a tray that catches spills. Its wheels lock to hold it still, and unlock so it can be rolled out for cleaning.

Ice cream machine

An ice cream machine turns a prepared base into soft serve or sorbet. A blade spins inside the barrel. It beats air into the mix and scrapes the barrel walls so the result is smooth and even. The air added is called overrun, and the commercial machine adds the right amount for a creamy texture.

Set the timer for the spin time and switch on the auto button so the machine counts down by itself. A buzzer sounds at the end. If the texture is right, press the extrude button to push the finished product out through the hopper.

Hand tools

• Rubber spatula: heat resistant, so it does not carry heat to your hand while you cook, but it will melt if left over a flame. Small and large sizes are common.
• Cake spatula (palette knife): a metal spatula for decorating cakes. Blades run from small to large, and you pick the one whose blade size suits the job; each feels different in the hand.
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• Offset spatula: a metal decorating spatula with an uneven blade. That shape makes it easy to spread batter in a pan. It also comes in several sizes.
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• Bench scraper: a hard metal blade for cleaning the work bench. It lifts stuck dough without cutting grooves into a wooden top, and it also cuts dough quickly and evenly.
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• Pastry brush: used dry, it sweeps crumbs off a cake and its turntable. It can also soak cake layers with syrup, and it spreads egg wash evenly over dough.
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• Cake comb: pressed against the side of a cake while the cake turns, it cuts a pattern into the icing. Combs come in many designs, and the result depends on the comb and the decorator.
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• Metal spoons: slotted or solid. A slotted spoon lets liquid drain away. Metal conducts heat very well, so a spoon left in a pot on the heat gets hot enough to burn someone.
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• Tongs: for handling hot food and ready-to-eat food.
• Ladles: sized by the ounce, in a range of sizes. They are the tool to use when tempering with hot liquid.
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• Peeler: for peeling fruit and vegetables. The blade is very sharp. The pointed tip on most peelers digs out blemishes.
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• Small hand grater: for zesting fruit and shredding hard cheese and similar foods. It gives zest in tiny bits instead of long strips.
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Measuring tools

Measuring spoons come as a nested set, from 1 tablespoon down through 1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon to ¼ teaspoon. For a dry ingredient, scoop the spoon in, then scrape across the top with a straight edge so the measure is level.

Measuring cups are also nested and are meant for dry ingredients. Each cup has its size printed inside on the bottom, from 1 cup down to ¼ cup.

Thermometers

A thermometer tells you the true temperature of food. Probe one into meat or bread to read the temperature inside. An infrared thermometer reads only the surface, which makes it useful for tempering chocolate. Common types are pocket, candy and infrared, each available with a digital display or a dial.