There are a lot of baking wares in the world that can make your life a whole lot easier. Rolling pins are one of the best easily distinguishable pieces of baking equipment in pizza parlors and bakeries. However, not all people know what a rolling pin is. If you want to find out, stick for a while.
Among the pantheons of baking tools, rolling pins are indeed on the top of that list. They are the best in taking on many tasks and will give you an easier time molding your favorite product. What is a rolling pin? How does it help you with your baking needs? How do you use it? These are questions that will be answered further down below. Read more.
What Is a Rolling Pin?
Rolling pins are widely used around the world because of their design. Usually, rolling pins are around 20 to 45 cm in length and 4 to 8cm in width. Simply put, there is simple baking equipment that is cylindrical and is used to put enough force while gliding through a dough. In short, they flatten out the dough.
A rolling pins’ primary use is for rolling out the dough for different kinds of baked products. Whatever baked goodies you can think of, plates of pasta, bread, dough for cookies, pies, pizza, and many more.
A rolling pin can be consisting of various materials, from aluminum, wooden, glass, ceramic, plastic, and even silicone. However, the most widely used material for the rolling baking pin is hardwood.
Back in the day, rolling pins used to have no handles and were later on adapted due to the ease of use it brings. Some of the handles are placed on the shaft which lets them stay in place while rolling dough. That is why you must know what a rolling pin is to use it with ease whenever you need to.
Using a Rolling Pin
Knowing what a rolling pin is and how to use it maximizes its capabilities. So, to give you a head start when you plan on baking, here are the simple steps on how to use a rolling pin.
Crumb
As the name says, rolling pins are good for making any crumbs, from bread crumbs to graham, and many more. It is already up to you how to roll the pin until it forms like crumbs. Due to the hardness and rolling motion, using rolling pins for making crumbs is a tad easy to make. Just be sure that your rolling pin is as hard as possible to get a desirable outcome.
Grind
It is just like crumbling. You might want to roll out your spices to get the juices flowing before tossing them in the saucepan. Having rolling pins, you don’t have to rely on mortar and pestle to grind your ingredients. Roll the pin onto the spices and toss them inside the pot.
Mold
It may be funny to think but using a rolling pin is a great way to form molds. Due to their smooth surface and rolling mechanism, they make molds a tad easier than expected. After all, hard and smooth surface pins give a cleaner look leaving a more intricate detail.
Tenderize
A rolling pin is a cheap alternative to your kitchen mallet. Rolling pins are big, hard, and highly durable. So why not use them if they are lying on your kitchen counter, right? As long as your rolling pin are hard and heavy enough, it can tenderize meat very fast.
Smash
You can smash any food ingredients that need smashing. There can be a better option for smashing from spices to ice, but a rolling pin can get the work done too. What’s the use of a hefty, hard, and solid tool if you aren’t smashing some pieces? Besides, you could take the anger out of you by smashing some key ingredients for your dish.
A Buying Guide for Rolling Pins
If you want to know what a rolling pin is and planning to buy one, then here are the guidelines and some of the things you need to consider.
Know Their Types
There are different types of rolling pins out there. However, they fall into three specific groups, the roller, textured, and rods.
Textured Rolling Pins
They are rolling pins that have distinct textures on the surface. Once you roll this type of pin onto a dough, it leaves marks and inscriptions on the dough. Unlike the other types, this is tops in terms of creativity and design.
Rods
They are like rolling pins. However, they only have one handle and are usually made of steel or metal. Many people don’t prefer this type of rolling pin, as it may be hard to rotate on all axis.
Roller
This is the traditional style of rolling pins. Cylindrical shape and has both handles on each side. The design allows you to rotate the pin with ease. Out of the three, this type of rolling pin is the cheapest.
Materials
Most of the rolling pins sold in the market today are made out of wood. But there are also different materials used for making rolling pins, such as steel and metal. But if I were you, nothing beats the classic wooden pin. Just be sure that the product is rock hard, has good handles, and has a smooth surface.
Design
When going for a rolling pin design, you should consider what you are baking from cookies, pastries, and many more. Having a large design when you are baking small quantities might be troublesome. Always opt for what you need.
Durability
Wooden rolling pins are the most popular choice because of the abundance of hardwood today. More so, they are very easy to wash and clean.
Conclusion
Behind every delicious pizza and fresh bread is a tool that gets the job done right. A rolling pin is one of the most underrated baking or kitchen tools, but when you go deeper, into its uses and benefits, there you’ll see that some foods would not be cooked successfully without it. Find out more about kitchen must-haves.
Thus, you must know what a rolling pin is since it has specific uses for cooking and baking. Learning how to use it is just pretty easy. I hope the guidelines above have helped you to know how to use a rolling pin and to serve the best-tasting food at the table.