Food Articles & Product Announcements
Test Your Baking I.Q.
Do you bake a lot and have a kitchen filled with the latest equipment and decorating supplies? If so, you might just be a "Baking Guru." Or, are you better described as a "Baking Flirt, " flirting with disaster every time you turn on the oven? The Wilton test kitchens have created this fun pictorial quiz so you can see how you really measure up. To test you baking IQ, find a pencil and paper and identify as many of these 23 baking and decorating supplies as you can. Starting in the top right-hand corner, identify the objects counter clock-wise.
Then, read on for the correct answers, how to classify your score , and for baking tips and serving ideas tailored to your skills.
Correct Answers:
1. Liquid Measuring Cup The right tool to measure liquid ingredients.
2. Spatula This is actually a Spatch It Spatula --it has an innovative shape ideal for scraping the bottom and sides of bowls to get out all the batter or frosting.
3. Wooden Spoons A must-have for every baker.
4. Pastry Cloth Use a pastry cloth for rolling out delicate pastry dough--place on the countertop and roll out the dough on top of the cloth to prevent from sticking.
5. Rolling Pin Don't let this sit in the cupboard too long. Get baking!
6. Rolling Pin Cover The fabric cover holds flout on the rolling pin longer and helps prevent dough from sticking to the rolling pin.
7. Sugar/Flour Shaker Use this handy utensil to sprinkle ingredints like confectioners' sugar evenly over cakes and cookies, and cinnamon-sugar onto breakfast toast.
8. Sifter Sifts flour and other dry ingredients. This sifter has a single trigger action handle so you can continuously with one hand while the other works the sifting mechanism.
9. Cake and Pie Server The serrated edge helps cut through desserts and crusts, and the angled blade with rounded point is ideal for serving wedges, even the first slice.
10. Measuring Spoons A measuring tip to remember: Level a dry ingredient with the flat edge of a spatula; do not pack or tap ingredients unless recipes calls for it.
11. Decorating Tips A basic for cake and cookie decorating. The tip drops into the decorating bag, and icing is squeezed through. The size and shape of the tip opening determines the design.
12. Coupler. Another decorating tool, this timesaving, two-piece plastic insert lets you use one decorating tip after another--with just one decorating bag.
13. Dough Scraper Ideal for working bread doughs or for cutting doughs into smaller portions. the thin edge of the metal blade easily lifts and folds doughs from flat surfaces.
14. Rubber Bladed Spatula of Scraper Use to scrape the sides of bowls during mixing and to fold ingredients into a batter.
15. Pastry Brushes (not paint brushes!) Use a pastry brush when a recipe tells you to brush a food with a liquid or glaze, such as melted butter.
16. Dry Measuring Cups The right tool for measuring dry ingredients such as flour and sugar. Never use a dry measuring cup to measure a liquid ingredient--it will not yield quite the same measurement.
17. Parchment Pan Liner This handy Select-A-Size Parchment Circle is printed with dotted lines to fit round pan sizes from 6 to 12 inches in diameter. Simply measure you pan and cut along the dotted line so the liner fits the bottom of your pan.
18. Decorating Bag A must-have for cake decorating. It holds the icing and is fitted with a coupler and/or decorating tip at the open end.
19. Disposable Decorating Bag For extra easy cleanup, these clear plastic decorating bags are designed to be thrown away after one use.
20. Cookie Scoop This handy tool is great for portioning cookie dough so cookies are all the same size--important for even baking. Different size cookies require different baking times.
21. Decorating Comb Ideal for the novice of expert decorator, this tool adds interesting details to icing with ease.
22. Wire Whisks Designed especially for whisking eggs or egg whites.
23. Wire Pastry Blender Cuts cold butter or shortening into flour for pastries like pie crusts and tart shells.
How Do You Measure Up?
Assign yourself one point for each correct answer. Tally your point total and see which category you fall under…
Baking Flirt (5 points or less)--On the special occasions that you bake, which are probably few and far between, you find yourself reading recipes in wonder and plundering in the kitchen for the right utensils. Don't worry, better baking days are ahead. For less frustration until you sharpen you baking skills, turn to convenience products like cake mixes and refrigerated cookie doughs for special treats. For decorating you'll love Wilton's selection of ready-to-use cake toppers and candles--all you have to do is open the package and put them in place.
Freshman Baker (6 to 10 points)--You're still getting your feet wet in the kitchen and prefer to bake with convenience products or from a few favorite recipes. Use your imagination to make these standbys a little different each time. You might stir chopped walnuts into a chocolate cake mix, or for a pretty touch, sprinkle serving plates with confectioners' sugar. Another idea is to add stir-ins (like chocolate chips, candy corn or crushed peppermints) to your favorite crisped rice cereal bar recipe and press into seasonal shaped pans instead of the usual 13 x 9-inch pan.
Casual Baker (11 to 15 points)--You enjoy baking on weekends and like to try new recipes that don't look too time consuming or complicated. And, occasionally, you'll dive into a bigger than usual baking project to serve company or for a festive holiday treat. Following are a couple innovative baking pans to add variety to your baking repertoire. The 24-cup Mini Muffin Pan allows you to bake more mini muffins in less time. And new Petite Loaf Pan bakes nine tiny, single-serving 2 1/4 x 3 3/8-inch loaves--great for quick breads or pound cakes.
Master Baker (16 to 21 points)--You're an experienced baker with your eye always open for new recipes and decorating ideas. You like to flip through cookbooks in your spare time, and enjoy giving homemade baked items as gifts to family and friends. You've tried cake decorating once or twice but don't consider yourself an expert. Therefore, for a special cake, you'll love trying the new Ready to Use Rolled Fondant instead of spreadable icing. It looks elegant, is unbelievably easy to use and tastes great. No mixing is required--just roll the fondant flat and shape it to the cake for a perfectly smooth iced surface. If desired, decorate the cake with shaped cut-outs made from additional fondant and standard or bite-size cookie cutters.
Baking Guru (22 or more points)--Your favorite room in the house is the kitchen, your favorite magazine is cooking-related, and your favorite pastime is baking! You love to entertain and never hesitate to invite family and friends for a luncheon, dinner or dazzling dessert. For a festive finish to your next double-crust pie, make pastry cut-outs using a shaped cookie cutter; arrange the cut-outs on the top crust and paint with food colorings prior to baking. You'll find this and many other eye-catching ideas in the current Wilton Yearbook of Cake Decorating, a fabulous addition to any Baking Guru's cookbook collection.
Interested cooks can call 1-800-942-8881 for information on the location of the nearest Wilton cake and confectionery decorating classes.
