SOLON, Ohio — For many, baking is a big part of getting into the holiday spirit. However, if you're doing it from scratch, you could double your work without the right tools.
So, we brought in self-described gadget geek and owner of Solon's Sensational Cakes & More Deb Rogers to test some products that are the icing on the cake. The first thing she told us is that there is a science to sweets.
"Measurements are super important," she said. "Baking from scratch, there's a very precise balance of flours and leavenings and things like that."
What started as a hobby for Deb is now big business, with her over-the-top, gravity defying confections. And her most important baking tool? Something like the KitchenMetrics Digital Kitchen Measuring Spoon Scale, which is precise up to .03 ounces.
"The weather, the batch of flour you get, things can vary," she said. "Weight is the only way you can get consistent batches.”
When we compared the spoon scale's accuracy to a traditional scale, the weights were exactly the same. The only concern was cleanliness, because the buttons to operate it are raised.
"Sometimes when you go to measure something—maybe your hands are full of maybe batter or oil or something—and you have to touch all of these buttons, it's not as cleanable as if they were flush," Deb pointed out, adding it is not dishwasher safe.
After measuring, it was on to mixing the batter. Deb loves doing it with the Get It Right Premium Silicone Spatula.
Since it’s one piece, batter and other food doesn't get stuck in it. When you wash it, it ends up perfectly clean.
Deb said she’s not a big fan of wood spatulas for batter because wood can trap odors. But, she is a big fan of the U.S. Foods Staybowlizer, which keeps bowls from sliding on the counter. She showed us how, when she uses the plastic stabilizer, she can mix the batter without holding the bowl, giving her an extra hand to add ingredients.
Something else that comes in handy is the Smart Baker Round Perfect Parchment Paper for Cake Pans, which was seen on the show Shark Tank. It keeps your batter from sticking to the pan with tabs that help you to easily lift out your baked goods.
So, even if you're not Betty Crocker or Deb, these gadgets will help you bake confections worthy of Kings and Queens.
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