Bakeware Specialties: Extras You'll Love If You Love to Bake!

Bakeware Specialties: Extras You'll Love If You Love to Bake!

Not every cook loves to bake, but if you do or know someone who does, there are some additional kitchen bakeware must-haves. A special note about all bakeware materials: Shiny, metal baking pans deflect heat away from the ingredients in the dish whereas dark metal, coated or glass bakeware and ceramic bakeware dishes catch and hold the heat more, so you'll need to reduce oven temperatures by 25 degrees to adjust for any of these newer types of bakeware supplies.

• A springform pan: A cheesecake necessity because it releases delicate forms from the bottom and sides of the pan via the opening clasp on the side of the metal pan. These pans need to be lined and greased for a great results, regardless of the material chosen. Now, there's even a mini-cheese cake pan with removable bottoms (looks like a muffin tin, but the bottoms come out!)

• A quiche pan: Even though you can bake a quiche in a pie dish or pan, cooks who love quiche like the special fluted shape of a metal quiche pan. They swear it supports the delicate pastry shell better and yields a flakier result than the angled glass pie dish. Some quiche pans have a removable base that lifts out for easier serving.

• A muffin tin: Only necessary if you love trying different muffin recipes and baking muffins regularly, otherwise muffin bakeware can take up space in your baking cabinet. Quick baking tip: These are also handy for baking mini-quiches!

• Ramekins: This is a set of small ceramic baking dishes for baking individual servings of souffles and baked dessert custards. They can be taken straight from the oven to the table.

• A pizza stone: This is a round stoneware item that conducts heat in a certain way to provide for crispy pizza crust. For pizza-baking aficionados, this is a must-have along with a pizza spatula and slicer, of course!