I'm getting ready to order a bench scraper. Does anyone have recommendations for a particular kind????
I love mine, easy to clean, sturdy, sharp, straight edge with 6" ruler markings.
The brand name on mine is chefmate...bought at Bed Bath & Beyond, I think. but it looks exactly like this, down to the placement and font of the brand name.
http://tinyurl.com/23cfbcb
Hmmm...how do you pick just a couple things?
I guess I'd have to say my KA and Roul 'Pat.
I bought this little spatula on a whim... but I use it more then I ever imagined! Now I can't live without it.
http://www.cakesuppliesdepot.com/zoomify.asp?catalogid=145&img=assets/images/10117.jpg
It's small (about the length of a pencil) and very thin so it easily slides under the edges of gum paste. I use it to pick up anything I've cut from gum paste or fondant such as flowers, petals, scrolls, letters, circles etc. It keeps the edges perfect so they don't get dented where I've tried to pick it up with my fingers. Plus it's just so much quicker and easier to move each piece around.
These are my "can't live without" items:
KitchenAid mixer
Kopykake projector
Ateco rolling mat
sharp exacto knives
ruler
bench scraper
I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet soon and order an Agbay. I just bought a Fat Daddio's leveler after a particularly bad experience with the Wilton one, but I didn't care for the FD leveler either. Grr.
I bought this little spatula on a whim...It's small (about the length of a pencil) and very thin so it easily slides under the edges of gum paste. I use it to pick up anything I've cut from gum paste or fondant such as flowers, petals, scrolls, letters, circles etc. It keeps the edges perfect so they don't get dented where I've tried to pick it up with my fingers. Plus it's just so much quicker and easier to move each piece around.
We have similar tiny spatulas in my lab that we use to weigh reagents. That's a really good idea! I'm constantly damaging my cutouts by picking them up, or trying to cram my fingers under the edge and whatnot.
I would have to say my KA (it has to be at least 25 years old), the corian turntable my husband made me, and my spatulas (stright and angled), I am sure there are others, but these are the top of the list.
Speaking of spatulas, I can't live without my kitchenaid spatula with the long curved silicone blade. Since I've had it, all my other spatulas feel useless and awkward.
http://tinyurl.com/2d5fqt8
I was so hesitant about the Agbay because of cost, but I'll quote Sugar Shack "I'd grab it on my way out if the house was burning down".
It's amazing what this tool has done for my cakes. Not to mention the happy people in my family who get cake balls after I level everything .
Another thing I cant live without-parchment sheets for rolling out cookie dough. And my Silpin Rolling Pin for cookies and fondant.
oh.....one more thing. My patience. ugh! what would I do without it. That's the glue that keeps it all together.
I use a Norpro .. the handle is super comfortable, and it is marked up to 6 inches on the bottom.. I only paid 3.00 for it at the grocery store in thier "discontinued items " bin... score!
sooo many things:
7 qt stand mixer
agbay
offset spatula
self healing cutting board
metal ruler
my sewing ruler
sharp exacto
offset painters spatula
magic line pans
I'll stop now
Ahhhh, I gotto get me an Abgay!! I've been struggling with the Wilton's cutter, but I'm through with it! ----provided that I'm a hobby baker, but what hobby baker doesn't want to tort perfect cakes, huh??!!
Oh, an item I couldn't live without---
Kitchen aid
Edible ink printer
Flower nails to use as heating cores
Tylose
and just about everything needed for 'caking'
My kitchen Aids mixers..I have 2...My Airbrush..My kopykake projecter...Turntable...extra fridge...now I need a agbay...
Here we go:
KA Mixer
Bench Scraper
Cake lifter
Fondant smothers
Pizza Cutter
Americolor Gel Colors
and I have a small super-sharp paring knife from Wustof that I always end up using for things.
Ok stupid question but what do you all use the nlbench scraper for?
1. I use it when I'm kneading or rolling out fondant. If it starts to stick, I scrape it up in an instant. You can also scrap any residue from the sticking off the counter so it won't continue to stick.
2. When I am smoothing the sides of a buttercream cake, I stand the scraper up on its side on my turntable, so the long edge is perfectly vertical and just touching the side of my cake. Then I spin the turntable allowing the scraper to completely smooth the entire side, all the way around.
3. When I'm all done and my counters are covered with crumbs and PS and spilled jam, I lift my trash can to just under the edge of my counter and move along the counter, sweeping/scraping all the crap into the can, before I spray and wipe. It's 1000 times easier than a sponge or rag will ever be.
4. I also use it as a straight edged tool for cutting. Like cutting off a chunk of fondant from the whole ball, or cutting a rope of fondant into lengths. or cutting squares from a rolled out sheet of fondant. It's great for stuff like this because you just press down, no slicing and leaving cuts and marks on your counter like a knife would. Plus you ruin knives that way.
5. There's probably more uses that I can't think of off hand.
Cake lifter
Quick question, what's a cake lifter or how does it look like??
My Kenwood Chef (am I the only person on here that doesn't have a Kitchen Aid?!)
Silicone rolling pin
Bake-O-Glide reusable parchment stuff
But there's so many cool tools I want to buy it's unreal.
Oh, I forgot about the cake lifter! I love that thing!
Rosie2 - here's a link to Wilton's cake lifter (http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=F5E44F60-423B-522D-F605DA5FD1C1079F&killnav=1). It's small, but man, you'd be amazed how much you can lift with it! I use it for lifting individual cake layers as well as entire tiers.
My hubby! For it is his job that help supply all of my cake toys!!!!!!! Oh! He is a great assistant.
Ok stupid question but what do you all use the nlbench scraper for?
This is what the bench scraper is used for.
Edna
Oh, I forgot about the cake lifter! I love that thing!
Rosie2 - here's a link to Wilton's cake lifter (http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=F5E44F60-423B-522D-F605DA5FD1C1079F&killnav=1). It's small, but man, you'd be amazed how much you can lift with it! I use it for lifting individual cake layers as well as entire tiers.
Ahhhh thank you Cindy!!! I've seen them and, silly me, I thought it was a large bench scraper
I'll run to Michaels today and get one with my 40%off coupon!!!
Thank you!!
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