WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A BLOWTORCH IN YOUR BAKING TOOL KIT.
And no, it will not burn down your kitchen if used correctly.
One of the best tools to invest in when building your baking repertoire is a blowtorch. Without the full force of a flame, a blowtorch provides concentrated heat specific areas. Small and easy to use, this tool is full of possibilities to upgrade your baking and even save batters from the brink of failure.
MY FAVORITE BRANDS:
Starting from the least to most expensive, here are some brands I recommend if you’re looking to purchase a blowtorch:
$16.99 on Amazon: Sondiko Butane Torch S400
$22.99 on Amazon: Ravs Butane Torch Lighter, Dual Flame Mode Kitchen Torch
$36.99 on Amazon: Jo Chef Kitchen Torch with Butane Included
$37.99 on Amazon: Iwatani PRO2 Culinary Professional Butane Torch
$59.95 on Sur La Table: MesserMeister Chef’s Torch
$70.00 on Bloomingdales: Rösle Kitchen Torch
USES FOR YOUR TORCH:
While some of these hacks may seem obvious, there might be a few that surprise you.
DECORATING AND ADDING FLAVOR TO YOUR PASTRIES:
There are a multitude of ways that a blowtorch changes the taste and visual appearance of your pastry. Here are my favorite ways to utilize this tool:
Brûlée sugar: Easily caramelize the sugar on top of different desserts, like crème brûlée, by simply sprinkling sugar over the top and torching in a swaying motion until you reach the desired color. You can do this same method on top of fruits as well.
Browning meringues: Achieve the perfect color for your meringue on pies, tarts, cakes, and more while adding a hint of smokiness.
Melting marshmallows and chocolate: Create delicious decorations with a toasted and partially melted look by quickly passing the blowtorch over these two ingredients until they reach your desired consistency. Briefly torching chocolate before serving can also give it a shiny finish, such as on cookies dipped in chocolate.
PREVENTING BUBBLES IN YOUR JELLIES: After pouring jellies into molds, you may find bubbles from the mixing process. To prevent these bubbles from appearing in the final product, quickly pass a blowtorch on low over the surface to remove them before they set. This technique is brief enough to not burn the mixture.
REMOVING RINGS AROUND CHILLED DESSERTS: Some desserts, like different cakes and mousses, require a metal ring to hold them in place while setting in the fridge or freezer. Instead, of removing the ring with your own hands, which can result in a jagged texture, place try placing the dessert with the ring on something smaller, like an upside-down pitcher or bowl. Quickly run the blowtorch around the rim of the ring until it heats up enough to easily remove the ring, leaving no trace.
WARMING UP UTENSILS TO CUT OR DECORATE PRODUCTS: To cut the edges of your pastries while preserving their shape, gently heat the knife’s blade using the blowtorch on a low flame for a few seconds. Ensure the blade is not too hot by touching it with your finger or cooling it with a napkin. Once heated to the desired temperature, slice your pastry in a singular rocking motion. Clean the knife with a cloth between every slice. Note that a heated knife will cut chocolate quickly but must not be hot enough to melt it. This method works wonderfully when making the edges of the Gâteau Opéra crisp. You can also use a blowtorch to heat a spoon for creating a quenelle of ice cream, creams, or mousses.
SALVAGING YOUR BATTER: If your batter is clumping due to inconsistent ingredient temperatures, use the blowtorch to gently warm the bottom of the mixing bowl. This will allow the ingredients to reach a similar temperature and mix well. This technique is useful when cold ingredients cause parts of the batter to solidify, such as in cake batters and frostings.
