Fill Your Kitchen With These Christmas Baking Essentials

If you're planning to serve a selection of your own cakes and baked goods this Christmas, then a well-stocked pantry is an absolute must. Our guide to Christmas baking essentials lists everything you need to source ahead of time, from airtight jars for storing seasonal dried fruits to mixing tools and festive decoration, so you can ensure that your Christmas prep runs as fun and smoothly as possible. Read on to discover more.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

No mince pie or figgy pudding would be complete without a good ol' stuffing of dried fruit. From sultanas to raisins, dried apricots, currants and dates, tradition details that these particular ingredients should be soaked a few weeks (even 3 months) ahead of Christmas to guarantee that rich festive flavour, so invest in airtight jars and canisters and store yours alongside pantry staples like flour and Demerara sugar.

Tip: Label your jars according to their contents and use-by-date and stack in a section of your cupboard that doesn't receive natural light.

Stir Things Up

Sugar, check. Spice, check. Elbow grease, erm check? Whisking, mixing and kneading the ingredients for a classic German stollen or Christmas cake takes some muscle power, so add Christmas baking essentials like a sturdy wooden spoon and whisk to your baking arsenal. For anyone looking to take the easier route, a hand-held electric mixer will do the job effortlessly.

Tip: And if you've been really nice this year, a stand mixer will help create your best bakes yet.

The Perfect Measurements

Unfortunately a 'dash' and a 'pinch' just won't cut it when it comes to Christmas baking. Precision is key, so ensure your kitchen is fully equipped with a measuring jug, spoons and a mechanical or digital set of kitchen scales. These Christmas baking essentials could be the decider between a light and fluffy panettone or on that falls completely flat...

Tins, Tins and More Tins

What is a baker without a worthy set of cake and muffin tins? Christmas baking supplies like these come in a variety of shapes and sizes designed to accommodate to their chosen dessert, so if you're a little unsure of which tins to take, we've listed the basics here:

Baking Tins: The Basics

• 20cm - 26cm round cake tin
• 12-cup muffin & cupcake tin
• 30cm rectangular cake tin
• 2x flat baking sheet

Nonstick tins will enable your Christmas creations can be easily removed after baking, while cake tins and sheets that are made of silicone make washing up simple.

Tip: Cake tin sets take the ease out of buying separately.

All Out Decoration

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the decoration and the same goes for your baking. Go all out this year and stock up on Christmas baking essentials like gingerbread men-shaped cookie cutters and show-stopping cake moulds. Need to entertain the kids? Set them up with their own piping bag and have them create icing masterpieces on biscuits, complete with candy canes and peppermints.

Come Christmas Day you'll want to show off your bakes and what better way than on a festively-themed cake stand.

Tip: Don't let your journey into Christmas home and decor end here! Check out these other articles:

• Easy Appetisers to Serve this Festive Season
• A Merry Christmas Cocktail Guide
• DIY Christmas Table Decorations to Keep You Merry and Bright