ESSENTIAL

INGREDIENTS
THAT EVERY
BAKER NEEDS
PREPARED BY: MARIA MERLLAN ESTRELLANTE MIER
 ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS THAT EVERY
BAKER NEEDS
the vast list of baking ingredients you keep in your
cupboard, fridge, and freezer is limited only by the space
available. But if you're new to baking or you're setting up
your first kitchen, you'll be glad to know that you can
narrow the list to just nine ingredients. And, with these
ingredients, you'll have everything to bake cookies, muffins,
cakes, pies, and pancakes.
 ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS THAT
EVERY BAKER NEEDS
you'll see that the following list is broken out by
category, such as flour, leavening, sugar, salt, etc. These
are the essential building blocks of your baking pantry.
Each category is divided into basic needs and next-level
ingredients. of course, one baker's next-level ingredient
could be another's basic need. As you gain more baking
experience, you'll start to figure out what's essential
for you.
 1. FLOUR
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR is aptly named because it's your
baking jack-of-all-trades that can create everything from
cookies to pancakes to muffins. Made from a blend of hi-gluten
hard wheat and low-gluten soft wheat, its light, and fluffy
texture come from being milled to remove all of the wheat germ
and bran.
Add specialty flours to your basic pantry depending on what
kind of baking you like to do. It's often smarter to buy small
quantities from bulk bins to avoid having to store unused
products that can spoil. for best results, use the kind of flour
specified in your recipe until you get a feel for how it behaves.
 1. FLOUR
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR retains the wheat germ
and is used to replace a portion of all-purpose flour in a
recipe to boost the nutritional profile.
WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR also retains the entire
kernel of grains such as wheat, oats, rye, millet, quinoa,
barley, or a combination of other grains.
BREAD FLOUR contains more protein, and therefore
more gluten, and is ideal for baking chewy yeast bread.
 1. FLOUR
CAKE FLOUR is lower in protein and gluten than all-purpose flour, and
is chemically treated and finely ground to produce cakes with a lighter
texture
PASTRY FLOUR is a medium-protein flour that's ideal for tender pie
crusts
SELF-RISING FLOUR has baking powder and salt already mixed in.
ALTERNATIVE NON-WHEAT FLOURS are milled from other grains,
nuts, and seeds
CORNMEAL is for cornbread, crunchy waffles, pancakes, and etc.
CORNSTARCH is finely-ground corn flour used for thickening sauces
 HOW TO STORE FLOUR

Store flour in airtight, moisture-proof containers on a cool,

dark shelf or in the fridge. Whole wheat flour and whole grain
flours spoil faster than all-purpose flour because they contain
more of the wheat grain components. Store these flours in the
fridge or freezer to extend shelf life. Alternative flours often
contain more plant oils as well, so they should be stored in the
fridge or freezer after opening. Another tip that we recommend
is following the manufacturers' recommendations for safe
 2. LEAVENERS

Basic Leaveners

 Leaveners cause chemical

reactions that fill batters and
dough with tiny gas bubbles
that make baked goods rise.
There are two kinds of
leaveners: chemical and
biological.
 2. LEAVENERS

BAKING SODA is an alkaline chemical leavener

(sodium bicarbonate) that works when you combine
it with acid and heat. Acidic ingredients that activate
baking soda include fermented dairy products like
buttermilk, sour cream, and yogurt; molasses, brown
sugar, cocoa powder (not dutch-processed), citrus
juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar.
 2. LEAVENERS

BAKING POWDER is baking soda ready-mixed with

a powdered acid and cornstarch. When you see "double-
acting" on the label, it means that the baking powder
forms carbon dioxide bubbles when it's mixed into the
batter or dough, and again when it's heated. When baking
powder is the only leavener in your recipe, you don't
have to add an additional acidic ingredient.
 2. LEAVENERS

YEAST is a biological leavener that works

much more slowly than chemical leaveners
because it takes time for yeast cells to naturally
metabolize and create carbon dioxide. Due to
this, basic bread bakers can store active dry yeast
or instant yeast in their pantries for months.
 2. LEAVENERS

Since cake or compressed yeast is alive, it produces a

greater amount of leavening gas than dry or instant yeast,
but it's also highly perishable. You can store it in your
fridge for one to two weeks.
Sourdough starters are live yeast colonies that give
sourdough bread its distinctive flavor. The same sourdough
starter yeast colony can be kept alive indefinitely by using
some of it and feeding the rest, so it replenishes itself.
3. SUGAR
 3. SUGAR
BASIC SUGARS
GRANULATED SUGAR is what they mean when recipes list
sugar as an ingredient. made from the juice of sugarcane or beets,
this kind of sugar has been stripped of its natural molasses and can
be further refined to look white. raw sugar retains its tan color.
CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR (POWDERED SUGAR) is ground
into ultra-fine particles and combined with starch so it doesn't clump
up in its package. bakers use confectioners' sugar in frostings and
icings. and a quick dusting of confectioners' sugar always makes
everything a little prettier, too.
 3. SUGAR
BROWN SUGAR is refined sugar with molasses added.
the amount of molasses in the mix accounts for the range
of color and flavor in light, medium, and dark brown
sugars. because of its molasses, brown sugar can clump
up and even form crystalized lumps. storing brown sugar
the right way can help to prevent this. to measure out
brown sugar for a recipe, press it firmly into the
measuring cup or spoon until it's fully compacted and
 3. SUGAR
SUPERFINE SUGAR (CASTOR SUGAR) is granulated sugar ground into
tiny crystals that dissolve very quickly because of that, some bakers like to
use it to make meringues and sweeten whipped cream. You can substitute it
1:1 for regular granulated sugar.
SANDING SUGAR (DECORATING OR COARSE SUGAR) is simply
larger crystals of granulated sugar used to give baked goods a crystalline
finish. Decorating sugar comes in every color of the rainbow.
Other natural sugars and sweeteners you might stock up on include date
sugar, coconut sugar, maple sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, cane syrup,
and agave syrup.
 4. SALT

BASIC SALT

GRANULATED TABLE SALT is what you'll use in

everyday baking. some bakers prefer to use table salt that
hasn't been iodized because they can sometimes detect an
unpleasant flavor in plain baked goods. Use table salt
when you're measuring salt for a recipe.
 4. SALT

SEA SALT has been harvested from evaporated sea

water and can have a grainy or flaky texture,
depending on its source. Crunchy, flaky sea salt is
often sprinkled across sweet baked goods to give your
taste buds more than one reason to love what's going
on in your mouth. Use flaky sea salt as a finishing
salt, not as a measuring salt.
 5. DAIRY

BASIC DAIRY

UNSALTED BUTTER is the default choice for baking,

unless your recipe specifies salted butter. If you're not going
to use it all of the time, you can easily freeze butter until you
need it. You'll use butter in batters, pastry dough, and cookie
dough, as well as in frostings and icings for that rich texture
and flavor that makes your baked goods irresistible. Find out
why butter is better than margarine for baking.
 5. DAIRY
LARGE EGGS can help to bind ingredients together. when
recipe writers list eggs as an ingredient, it's almost always
safe to assume they're talking about large-size eggs. Store
eggs in the fridge.
MILK gives batters their moisture. You'll want to keep a
quart of milk in the fridge for pancakes and waffles. Whole
milk gives a richer flavor than low-fat milk, but you can
make 1:1 substitutions to suit your preference.
 5. DAIRY
BUTTERMILK reacts with leaveners to make fluffier, more tender
pancakes and biscuits. if you don't want to keep it in the fridge all the
time, look for shelf-stable powdered buttermilk. Also, if you're out of
buttermilk and don't feel like going to the store, try making this
substitute at home.
ALTERNATIVE MILKS are made from soy, rice, coconut, or nuts.
Read more about plant-based milks and how to bake with them.
CREAM CHEESE could go on the basic pantry list if you plan to
make a steady output of cheesecakes and cream cheese frostings if
not, just pick it up when you need it. Same goes for sour cream.
6. FATS: OIL AND SHORTENING
 6. FATS, OIL AND
SHORTENING
BASIC FATS
VEGETABLE OIL in a neutral flavor, both for recipes and for
oiling baking pans.
BUTTER: (see the picture)
SHORTENING is a solid vegetable fat used by some cooks
either to replace butter or in combination with butter to make
tender baked goods like pie crusts. Shortening has a higher
melting point than butter, so cookies made with shortening tend
to keep their shape better.
 7. EXTRACTS AND
FLAVORINGS
Basic Extracts and Flavorings

 Pure vanilla extract gives

baked goods a warm, spicy aroma
and flavor. It's available both as
liquid and paste, and a little goes
a long way because vanilla makes a huge
difference in your baking, don't bother buying the
imitation stuff.
 7. EXTRACTS AND FLAVORINGS

ALMOND EXTRACT, LEMON EXTRACT, MINT

EXTRACT, RUM FLAVORING, BRANDY
FLAVORING there's a whole world of pure extracts
and flavorings to explore. don't go out and buy them all
at once, though. Just add to your collection as you
expand your baking horizons.
WHOLE VANILLA BEAN is used for a more intense
vanilla flavor in frostings and sugars.
 8. SPICES
BASIC SPICES
GROUND CINNAMON seems to top the
list of the one ground spice every baker has on hand. What else
you stock depends on what you like to make. For example you
might like ground cloves, allspice, and ginger to go along with
the cinnamon. If nutmeg is on your basic list, you should
always buy it whole and grate it yourself right before you use
it. a smart way to buy spices is in bulk: you're only getting a
little at a time so they don't get stale and lose their flavor.
 8. SPICES

GROUND SPICES are convenient, but for

the absolute freshest flavors, you might explore
grinding your own whole spices yourself using
a mortar and pestle, a coffee grinder, or a
microplane grater. To amplify things up even
more, toast the spices briefly before grinding.
 9. ADD-INS

this is where your basic

bakers' pantry gets really
personal.
love chocolate? stock up.
want to start baking with
matcha powder? it's your new
basic.
 9. ADD-INS

BASIC ADD-INS
CHOCOLATE in its many forms. Keep bar chocolate,
chocolate chips, unsweetened cocoa powder and dutch-
process cocoa powder on hand for cakes, cookies,
frostings, and glazes. Read more about how to choose
and use the right chocolate for the right job.
DRIED FRUITS such as raisins and cranberries.
 9. ADD-INS
ROLLED OATS to bump up nutrition in batters and cookie
doughs.
NUTS can be stored in the fridge or freezer to extend shelf
life.
JAMS, JELLIES, AND FRUIT PRESERVES for cakes
and cookies.
PEANUT OR ALMOND BUTTER for cookies and pies.
FOOD COLORING to make colorful food, obviously.
 9. ADD-INS

CRYSTALIZED GINGER
Gives spicy baked goods an extra sweet and snappy
tingle.
MATCHA POWDER
To add green tea goodness to your baking.
CHIA SEEDS - For extra fiber and nutrition.
COCONUT - Shredded or flaked.
 THANK YOU ! 
-ma’am Lyn