Download Article
Download Article
Wire cooling racks are an essential addition to the baker's "batterie de cuisine" (a collection of critical cooking equipment). Without these, you will experience soggier, moister baked items if they are allowed to cool in their pans or on solid surfaces that do not allow for air circulation. The purpose of a wire cooling rack is to allow air to circulate freely around the cooled baked item, allowing it to cool down evenly and quickly.
Steps
Download Article
-
Visit a kitchen goods retailer. Anywhere that sells kitchen goods for baking, such as cake and muffin pans, will also sell wire cooling racks. Restaurant supply stores will also have them in stock.
- Cooling racks are also sold online in kitchen goods storefronts and on auction sites.
-
Choose the wire cooling rack according to size. What you're baking determines the size of rack. While cookies can be easily fitted onto a small rack, a cake or bread will need a rack that fits its size. It's a good idea to get a few, perhaps one square or round one and one rectangular one, so that you have both enough and the right size for the particular baked item.
- If you want the cooling rack to sit in a pan, be sure to take the measurements before purchasing the rack.
- Another consideration for size is whether it will fit in the dishwasher and/or where you want to store it. These store easily alongside cookie and baking sheets, as well as pizza pans, so if you already have these, estimate the size against them.
Advertisement -
Choose a material for your wire cooling rack. Most wire cooling racks are made of metal, but there are also wooden and chrome-plated racks. Available non-stick varieties are helpful for your baked items, but not essential; you can always use parchment paper (also known as baking paper) for any particularly sticky baked foods.
- If you plan on using the wire cooling rack for draining washed food, choose one that won't rust.
-
Check the quality of the wire cooling rack. As with any purchase of kitchen essentials, be sure to check the quality. Look for neat joints throughout the cooling rack, and check to ensure that there are no sharp or loose parts and no warping.
-
Finished.
Expert Q&A
Tips
- Stackable or tiered cooling racks are available (see image above). Their utility to you depends on how much space you have or need to save, as well as how much you bake at any one time.Thanks
- Wire cooling racks are also known as wire baking racks. Either term is fine and interchangeable.Thanks
- When purchasing wire racks, be aware of the size of the spaces between the metal or wood runners. Softer and more delicate desserts, such as cake, can sink into the cooling rack and cause cracks or tears in the cake if the wires are too far apart.Thanks
If you're baking up a storm for fundraising, consider borrowing cooling racks from your neighbours. First, iou'll likely need them as the food keeps coming out of the oven to cool in large batches, and second, you don't want to end up owning lots of these racks!*Wire cooling racks are also excellent as:
Some racks are designed like shelves to hold the entire pan. These are pretty specialised, so you should know why you want one before investing in it. Remember that every unused piece of kitchen equipment takes up valuable space!
Things You'll Need
- Kitchen goods retailer
- Wire cooling rack(s)
