Just what motivates us to get into the kitchen and embark on a baking odyssey varies greatly between home bakers.
Some, in a red haze of determination, decide to bring their reality cooking show binge to a grinding halt and step into the kitchen to prove something to themselves. Others find a break in their busy schedules to bake something special for a loved one’s big day. There’s also those that throw on their favourite apron to release the day’s feelings through their knuckles and into a big slab of dough.
Though this may be considered a controversial opinion, we think baking is akin to an Olympic sport. It is an incredibly precise, exact science which isn’t often given the credit that it deserves – unless you belong to the upper echelons of French pâtisserie chefs and chocolatiers.
Home bakers especially engage in an almost aggressive, heartrate-spiking tango between measuring cups, mixing bowls, tins, and ovens in a race against the clock to create an expertly timed and perfectly spongy cake, a soufflé that won’t deflate, or a pie with a crust so golden brown it looks like the sand on a Mediterranean beach.
It takes decades of practice to make the chaotic baker’s dance look more like a waltz, and that’s ok. Some of us are doomed to be manic chefs forevermore - and that’s ok too.
Wonderful reality shows such as the Great British Bake Off have most definitely succeeded in both celebrating the humble home baker and encouraging the wider population to give the sport a go. However, there’s a whole lot of kit and caboodle to collect over time to make baking feel that little bit easier and more comfortable.
Whether your close friend or loved one is an absolute beginner within the world of baking or has been a regular home baker for a fair few years now, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best baking gift sets for the at-home chef. Keep scrolling for the goods.
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Best aprons for adults and kids
Best baking tins: non-stick and enamel options to perfect your cakes
Best silicone baking mats, trays and moulds
Best bread making tools, gadgets and accessories for the home
Best French cookbooks for making classic dishes at home
Best kitchen utensil sets to get you cooking up a storm reviewed
Le Creuset heart-shaped stoneware ramekins set of two
Share the love with this beautiful set of cerise heart-shaped stoneware ramekins from the experts over at Le Creuset.
Whether your recipient already has a budding collection of Le Creuset bakeware, or have always wanted to start one, you simply can’t go wrong with some small and easily stackable dishes.
Use them to make delightful heart-shaped soufflés, cupcakes, or simply as a pretty means to separate ingredients.
Buy now £30.00, John Lewis
Personalised KitchenAid Stand Mixer
A good stand mixer is essential to any baker’s kitchen, but they’re an expensive accessory which many feel reluctant to splash some cash on.
If you know a baker who is yet to move on from the hard labour of manual whisking, and you have the means, we highly recommend treating them to a personalised gold-standard mixer from the likes of KitchenAid. Choose between an array of base colours, additional mixing bowl sets and even add a small engraving on the stainless-steel rim for an extra personal touch.
Buy now £499.00, KitchenAid
The Great British Bake Off Baking Gifts
From the official Great British Bake Off store comes this wonderfully convenient and abundant baking set for home bakers of any level.
Featured in the iconic duck egg blue colour which adorns the countertops within the Bake Off tent, this set includes: two sandwich tins, a loaf tin, an 100 per cent cotton apron, cookie cutters, a silicone baking tray, measuring spoons, a spatula and palette knife set, whisk, zester, piping nozzles, cake stand and even more. Your recipient won’t have to purchase another baking utensil for years to come. Plus, they might just enter the show.
Buy now £80.00, Amazon
Marble Pastry Board and Rolling Pin Gift Set
A gorgeous and functional touch for any baker’s worktop, this extra-large marble pastry board and its matching rolling pin set is available in both a dark and light grey marble. Each item is crafted from one solid piece of marble, making it an incredibly high-quality set at an affordable price point.
Buy now £88.00, NOTHS
Arwyn Jones Ceramic Mixing Bowls
Crafted by Arwyn Jones from his studio in Devon, these functional artisan ceramic bowls embody a wonderful marriage between practicality and beauty. We’re also big fans of the deep turquoise glaze, as well as the fact that each and every one of Jones’ creations is oven, microwave and dishwasher safe.
Buy now £106.00, Abask
Our Place Cookware Set
The baker in your life will never again want for another brand-new pot or pan for their sweet reductions, caramel drizzles and coulis creations with this complete set of cookware from Our Place.
Plus, if you purchase a set in the pictured ‘Spice’ colourway, your baker’s kitchen set-up might just begin to resemble that professional-grade, luxurious copper cookware which adorns the walls of famous pâtisseries in Paris and beyond. If you’re really looking to go all out, Our Place also offer sets of Utensil Essentials and Hot Grips to protect your hands from oven-fresh cookware.
Buy now £250.00, Our Place
Sass & Belle Retro Pastel Measuring Cups - Set of 4
A pretty, practical and retro-inspired alternative to using a cumbersome set of scales, this set of four essential measuring cups will be a welcome addition to any baker’s workspace – not least for their aesthetic value. Each of the cups fit inside of one another for easy storage and are equipped with a handy lip for pouring out ingredients.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
Silicone Spatula Set
Available in every colour of the rainbow, this set of non-stick silicone, kitchen essentials are complete with a sturdy stainless-steel core – so you can be sure that they’ll go the distance. A value for money yet pretty and practical set of kitchen accessories, each utensil is also fitted with a small hole at the base for easy hanging.
Buy now £10.96, Amazon
Morris & Co 3 Tier Cake Stand Strawberry Thief, Honeysuckle, Golden Lily
This gorgeous, three-tiered cake stand reminds us of the many varied tea party accoutrements featured on the Mad Hatter’s tea table in Wonderland. Featuring three of Morris & Co’s iconic floral prints, we couldn’t think of a better way to display one’s baked goods.
Buy now £59.00, La Redoute
9 Piece Copper Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set with Engraved Measurements
Though copper cookware isn’t often a very budget-friendly addition to the kitchen, one can always start small. This nine-piece copper plated, stainless steel measuring cup set is an eye-catching, durable, and practical baker’s accessory. The set also comes with two D-rings to keep the cups together, which is particularly useful for travelling bakers.
Buy now £22.00, Etsy
Tala Indigo and Ivory Baking Set
Another option for lovers of all things retro, this Tala indigo baking set is available in a deep indigo hue. The dishwasher-safe set comes with three cake tins, a cook’s measurer, shaker, flour sifter and one large mixing bowl.
Buy now £80.00, Dunelm
