Kitchen Gadget Must Haves

[t-c]

I would love to come to your house for a snack! Those candy treats sound delicious. What gadgets do you need to make those items if you don't mind me asking?

I've considered an ice cream maker as well but then feel like it wouldn't be used very often to offset the price of just purchasing in the store. Have you found that it is worth it to make your own creations and flavors? I would love to make honey ice cream. Yummmm had that once at an old fashion ice cream parlor and it blew my mind!! Hope you bring out your ice cream maker out of storage even though it is the fall season. Pumpkin ice cream anyone?!

Maple Grape Nut is my fall ice cream flavor. I definitely prefer my own ice cream because I can make them the way I want. My caramel ice cream is dark and not very sweet. I use Ugandan vanilla in my vanilla ice cream which gives a great smoky flavor — I don’t know if I can get that commercially. I make my own Rocky Road ice cream with homemade marshmallows and toasted almond. The flavor I still buy is strawberry — I can’t make that without it going icy or becoming rock hard. I also make my own magic shell, fudge, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce,fruit toppings.

Here’s my rocky road ice cream: (sorry, my pictures aren’t pretty — they weren’t made for public consumption)


I have candy thermometer and caramel rulers. They’re super convenient when making caramels, nougats, marshmallow, any candy (I make my own version of snickers, Twix, and almond joy).


I’ve collected a lot of gadgets and tools over the years. The most useless have to do with my attempts at tempering or working with chocolate. I still haven’t mastered that

I guess I should add that I find my Demeyer sauciers are really useful for making candy, custards, etc... They’re incredibly heavy and keep the sugar/eggs from burning. I also have my copper pots, but they’re such a pain to clean.

 

[Matata]

@t-c, your posts are killing. My stomach sounds like this

Homemade marshmallows, Ugandan vanilla, pictures of ooey gooey deliciousness...I'm sooooooo hungry.

 

[foxinsox]

Thanks for sharing! When would you use a mandolin slicer over a food processor?

I agree with the cast iron skillet! Great for browning meats!

Not the OP but I LOVE my mandolin - I got a cheap simple OXO one to try out and I use it so much more often than I ever expected for thin slicing salad veges and in winter for making vege bakes.
I had a food processor that sat in the cupboard and was never used because I didn't have the volume of fruit or veges to justify pulling it out making a mess and having to clean it up after. I do everything except cubed veges in it and it makes prep so fast. Clean up is just a quick scrub with hot soapy water and a rinse once I've closed the blade. It's on its 5th year and it's still going strong with near-daily use.
Also second the recommendation for a cast iron skillet and japanese knives. I love my KitchenAid mixer too but mostly use that for baking rather than anything else.

 

[kenny]

With our tiny kitchen I avoid clutter from a zillion gizmos for every little specialized task.
But I love my 2 gizmos for making whole wheat bread from freshly-milled flour.
(No, we don't have a pink one. LOL)



The mixer was pricey but cheaper than a crappy diamond from the maul.
The "Ankarsrum Assistent", still built like a tank in Sweden, is $700.
Clever unique design from c. 1939: the motor rotates only the bowl.
The spring-loaded roller is caused to spin by either touching the rotating bowl or the rotating dough.
Something about this kneading process makes the softest whole-wheat bread you've ever tasted ... almost soft as marshmallows.

I mill wheat flour from fresh whole kernels just seconds before using it using the Wonder Mill, $200.

Truly unprocessed whole wheat flour would go rancid in a couple days.
That's why store-bought so-called whole wheat flour has some parts (healthy parts of course) removed.
Bread from freshly-milled flour tastes far superior to the bread you make from store-bought "whole-wheat" flour.
The taste superiority is as dramatic as freshly-squeezed OJ vs. any other type of OJ.

If interested, here's more info on the mixer.

 

[kenny]

OMG ... I just found out the Wondermill can make fresh hummus from those hard uncooked garbanzo beans.
I hate canned foods.
The Wondermill can turn those big dry garbanzo beans into flour.
I can't wait to try this when our Costco hummus is gone.

Oh, and my Ankarsrum Assistent mixer came with a separate doughnut-style bowl and beating attachments like those shown in this Wondermill Hummus video.

 

[HappyNewLife]

Another plug for the instant pot. I use it almost every day. I have made so many things - tortilla soup, lamb chops, baby back ribs, egg bites (like Starbucks'), tri-tip, stew. You name it. Previously I'd make pasta and tacos and that was it lol.

 

[t-c]

@t-c, your posts are killing. My stomach sounds like this

Homemade marshmallows, Ugandan vanilla, pictures of ooey gooey deliciousness...I'm sooooooo hungry.

I got the Ugandan vanilla as part of a sampler during a sale. I didn’t think there would be a noticeable difference between that, the Tahitian, and Madagascar vanillas. Imagine my surprise (and delight) when there was! I wish Mexican vanilla was included as I heard it’s really good, but I bought a whole lot of the Ugandan beans, so have to wait to try the Mexican (or if it goes on sale — vanilla prices have gone up a lot).

I wasn’t a big marshmallow fan — one-dimensional sweet. But my eyes were opened after I had these light, delicate, flavorful ones at several restaurants. Then I found out they were easy to make — messy, but easy. Jet Puff is still best for Rice Krispies treats though.

@kenny I just found out about Ankarsrum a few days ago! I saw someone using it on a cooking show and was hunting for info — I should have asked here.

 

[PierreBear]

With our tiny kitchen I avoid clutter from a zillion gizmos for every little specialized task.
But I love my 2 gizmos for making whole wheat bread from freshly-milled flour.
(No, we don't have a pink one. LOL)



The mixer was pricey but cheaper than a crappy diamond from the maul.
The "Ankarsrum Assistent", still built like a tank in Sweden, is $700.
Clever unique design from c. 1939: the motor rotates only the bowl.
The spring-loaded roller is caused to spin by either touching the rotating bowl or the rotating dough.
Something about this kneading process makes the softest whole-wheat bread you've ever tasted ... almost soft as marshmallows.

I mill wheat flour from fresh whole kernels just seconds before using it using the Wonder Mill, $200.

Truly unprocessed whole wheat flour would go rancid in a couple days.
That's why store-bought so-called whole wheat flour has some parts (healthy parts of course) removed.
Bread from freshly-milled flour tastes far superior to the bread you make from store-bought "whole-wheat" flour.
The taste superiority is as dramatic as freshly-squeezed OJ vs. any other type of OJ.

If interested, here's more info on the mixer.

Thanks for sharing and including the videos! I've never seen a device like that before. Funny that you commented that you didn't have the pink one as that was one of the questions running through my head. I'm coming to your place for some freshly made bread!