Sweet ways to level up your pastry-making skills.
A good spin
This cake stand does more than look pretty when you’re ready to serve. It also lets you rotate the marble platform so you can ice your cake like a pro.
Food 52, food52.com. JK Adams marble and walnut wood rotating cake stand, $125. (Shatterproof cloche sold separately.)
Batter up
Forget forks and toothpicks. A simple design with an important job, this singular tool can make or break a cake as you bake. Use it to pierce the cake’s center and pull it back out to see if the batter is properly cooked.
Coutelier, 8239 Oak St., New Orleans, (504) 475-5606, couteliernola.com. Ateco stainless steel cake tester, $3 each.
Take a stand
As any home baker will tell you, having a stand mixer can really up your game. This one has a tilt head design that makes it easy to add ingredients and 10 speed settings to help you tackle any recipe.
KitchenAid, kitchenaid.com. KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-quart tilt-head stand mixer, $449.99.
Bake more, waste less
Is it time to rethink single-use aluminum foil and parchment paper? Probably so. Make your cookies more sustainable with this reusable non-stick silicone baking mat.
Vintage Green Review, 3530 Magazine St, New Orleans, vintagegreenreview.com. Zefiro food-grade, BPA-free silicone baking mat (16.5 inches by 11.6 inches), $11.
Tips and tools
It can be hard to admit that you’re not quite sure how to use a new kitchen tool. Fortunately, this set of pastry tools comes in a book-like box that spells out how to use each item — a pastry scraper, brush, wheel and blender.
Chateau Drugs & Gifts, 3544 W Esplanade Ave., Metairie, (504) 272-2772, chateaudrugsandgifts.com. Pastry Baking Essentials book box, $42.
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