This page is devoted to cooking and baking products that I've used. Included are links to buy the products online, prices, descriptions, and pictures.
Williams-Sonoma Tartlet Baking Set
$29.95 (Williams-Sonoma)
I purchased this set when Williams-Sonoma was having a 15% off sale on bakeware. I suggest you do the same unless you really have a hankering for tarts. This tartlet set is the way to go when you need to make tarts and don't want to hassle with the individual tart pans. The cutter and press are included and make getting the tarts into the pan mold easy as pie. No longer will you have to estimate the size of dough to cut out and no longer will setting the dough into the fluted edges require time, patience, and small fingers. The nonstick coating means you don't need to add any cooking spray and can just use the butter already in the pastry dough as grease to make your cooked tarts come out smoothly. Another plus is the easiness of storage. This pan can be stored vertically along with your cookie sheets, cupcake pans, muffin pans, and sheet pans. The only downside to this set is that only one pan is included.
Sur La Table Stainless Steel Crank-Handle 5-cup Sifter
$16.95 (Sur La Table)
This is one of the best sifters I've ever used. I own the 5-cup capacity sifter but there is also an 8-cup capacity sifter. Amazing! Before I purchased this sifter I used my mother's spring action trigger handle sifter. This sifter, which I don't even know why they still make it, gave me hand cramps all the time. I will NEVER go back to the spring action trigger handle! The crank handle allows you to sift copious amounts of sugar, easily. The extended bottom means that anything you sift will stay in your work area and not leave you in a cloud of sugar or flour. Cleaning the sifter is easy too, just make sure you dry it with a towel to prevent rusting.
Anolon Advanced Bakeware 9" Springform Pan
$20.99 (Anolon Product Site, may be cheaper elsewhere)
Anolon's springform pan is the most durable springform pan I've come across. My mom got me this for Christmas 2 years ago and I've used it on many occasions involving bribery to bake cheesecakes. This pan never leaks! I usually wrap my pan with foil before placing it in a water bath to cook cheesecakes, but one time I forgot and the pan didn't leak at all. It is easy to clean, easy to store, and not flimsy. It is on the heavy side but I'd rather it stop a bullet than be lightweight and easily bent. The clasp is extremely tight and heat conduction is perfect. I believe my mother purchased it from Macy's but Amazon sells it as well.
Sur La Table Silpat 11"x17" Baking Mat
$24.95
I held off on buying a Silpat for a long time because they were so costly, but I finally broke down and bought one to make macaroons for my sister's bridal shower. The Silpat comes in handy if you're worried about your baked goods sticking to the baking pan/sheet. It's easy to store and easy to clean. Also, it cools off very quickly and doesn't affect the conduction of the pan it's placed on. My only negative is that it is costly but if you view it as an investment into your bakeware and as a time-saving and stress-saving tool, then it's worth it.
