The Pastry Tool Jacques Torres Thinks Is Well Worth The Price
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Master pastry chef and chocolatier Jacque Torres certainly knows his way around the kitchen — and when he offers helpful tips like adding dried fruit to pretzel mint bark or letting croissant dough slowly ferment before baking, we're eager to try them out. Home bakers, in particular, don't necessarily have access to the same supplies and appliances that professionals use, so any insight that can help improve culinary projects is warmly received.
From gadgets to ingredients, the list of items involved in baking seems endless, and the costs can really add up. Thankfully, we have Torres' suggestion for an affordable baking tool that is well worth its (low) price. While our creations may not reach the level of desserts crafted by a master pastry chef, at least we know one of the tools we can use to help move us toward that direction.
When simple is best
Though bench scrapers may not necessarily be the first item mentioned on any gift list, but these tools are worth having in the kitchen. Professionals and amateurs alike can benefit from the ability to quickly clean workspaces, cut and divide dough, and scrape bowls and softer surfaces. And since these handy plastic or metal tools don't need to be replaced very often, they are well worth the money spent. (Though Torres tells Refinery29 he actually never has to purchase them — he says he often gets them for free at events or from vendors, as they last so long he now has a sizable stockpile!)
Easy to clean, scrapers come in a variety of sizes and shapes. And if you're seeing the word "affordable" and wondering just how cheap this pastry tool really is, a quick trip to Amazon shows the results top out around $10. On the high end (again, we're talking $15.99, max) you have metal options with measurements and conversion charts right there on the scraper; on the low end, about $5 for two basic plastic ones.
Whether you use them to slice pie crusts or dig out the leftover remnants from your latest batch of fluffy Southern biscuits, durable tools are around for the long haul.