Pastry Brush

Most probably, there is no one in the world who doesn’t like enjoying a well-baked pastry. It is such a universal item. And also, there are thousands of them, and it is hard to find a person who hates them all. We also love how the glazing looks on top of a pastry. But to add that final finishing touch, you need a fine pastry brush.

If you really know how to use a pastry brush, it can transform your way of cooking completely. That is why it is a must-have item in any kitchen. But a pastry brush can do much more than just glazing desserts, though. It can help you preserve the tenderness of the meat and add flavour to your cookies. You can use it to spread sauces and apply other liquids as well to dishes before cooking them. Unlike a spoon, baking brushes provide much more control and also makes your work easier. But before you go and get a set of pastry brushes, it will be helpful to know more about them. This article will tell you everything you need to know about them.

A beginner’s guide to pastry brushes for baking

Those who are into baking will understand that the way your bake looks is just as important as how it tastes. That is why adding a coat of butter or egg white can make a lot of difference. If you want to apply an even coat of wet or gooey paste on top of your dessert, having a pastry brush can be a great help. Although you can try doing the same thing with a kitchen spoon, it won’t be nearly as perfect as you can get with a pastry brush. The brush will hold a lot of goop and will help you spread it evenly on the surface.

The purpose of a pastry brush

A pastry brush is to coat the outside of your pastry with butter or egg. These are usually small and usually look smaller than a teaspoon. But those that are used for special purposes are larger than that. Traditionally, pantry manufacturers used natural bristles to make these brushes. But these days, most brushes use artificial nylon or plastic bristles. While those with natural bristles still exist, they are a little more expensive than the nylon ones. Silicone pastry brushes are really good for spreading egg wash over bread and pastries.

Different uses of pastry brushes

The most important use of pantry brushes is in baking. They provide a convenient way to spread glazes over bakes and cooked food. This will help you add the final touch to make it look more delicious. Apart from that, you can use pastry brushes to baste the meat. A silicone brush is the best tool for basting as it has the right thickness and flexibility for the purpose. As the bristles of silicone brushes are thicker and do not break easily, you can even use them to clean the hard reach places of a blender or a coffee machine.

Basting brush vs pastry brush

You might come across a basting brush when you shop and might wonder how it is different from a pastry brush. But in fact, there is no noticeable difference between pastry brushes and basting brushes. You can say that basting brushes are just one variety among pastry brushes. But the thing is, when you are cooking, do not use a single pastry brush for all the food items. Keep a separate brush for applying liquid to poultry or meat, and keep another one for glazing your desserts. This will help you prevent transferring flavours between contradicting food items. Well, nobody wants their dessert tasting like barbecue.

Different shapes and sizes of pastry brushes

These brushes come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. The three standard sizes for them are small, large and wide. Smaller brushes are better for work that requires more care and precision, while wider brushes will help you spread faster across larger surface areas. Larger brushes also hold more liquid, and you don’t need to dip in the liquid as many times as you do with a small brush. The shapes of the bristles also vary. The most common ones are the round brushes and the angled ones. Round ones allow you more precision and detail on the pastries.