Essential Equipment Needed to Open a Bakery

Is there anything more satisfying than the smell of freshly-baked goods? There’s hardly anyone who could resist the sweet aroma of cinnamon buns or the savoury smell of bread fresh out of the oven. It’s no wonder that you see bakeries popping up at virtually every corner. Not that anyone’s complaining either.

If you’re thinking of hopping onto the bakery bandwagon, you’ll need to equip your kitchen with the right baking tools. While some might consider this to be a straightforward task, it can be pretty daunting, especially if you’re just entering the baking world. So without further ado, let’s do a quick rundown of the must-have bakery machinery for any baking business worth its salt.

What Equipment Do You Need to Open Up a Bakery?

It’s no secret that baking is an art form that requires precision and the utmost care. After all, even the slightest change in ingredient proportions can result in a completely different outcome. This is why professionals often use commercial-grade bakery equipment that can help them achieve the perfect bake every single time.

Dough Mixers

Kicking off the list is perhaps one of the most essential pieces of bakery machinery — the dough mixer. Also known as a stand mixer, this appliance is primarily used to knead dough and mix ingredients together. You don’t have to be a pro to know that making dough is a time-consuming and often physically demanding task. A good dough mixer will save you a ton of time and energy, allowing you to create large batches of perfectly kneaded dough with little to no effort.

These machines come in a variety of sizes, so it’s important to choose one that’s best suited for your business needs. For instance, if you’re running a small-scale operation, then a compact dough mixer would be your best bet. On the other hand, if you’re looking to produce large quantities of dough, then a larger, more powerful model would be a better investment.

Dough Sheeters

As the name suggests, this machine is used to roll out the dough into thin sheets. This comes in handy when you’re making pastries such as pies and tarts, as well as breads like flatbreads or pizza bases.

Even the most experienced bakers will find it difficult to achieve consistent results when rolling out dough by hand. A dough sheeter will give you the same thickness every single time, so you can be sure that your pastries will turn out perfectly shaped and evenly baked. Not only will this impress your customers, but it will also save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.

Dough Moulder

Bakers use this machine to create all sorts of shapes, from simple rolls and buns to more intricate designs such as braids and knots. It can be useful for both sweet and savoury recipes, so it’s definitely a versatile addition to any bakery kitchen.

It’s often used in conjunction with a dough sheeter, as the sheets need to be of a certain thickness in order for the machine to work its magic. This allows you to make a wide range of things, with only your imagination as the limit.

Flour Mill

As you would expect, a flour mill is a key part of any baker’s toolkit. As the name suggests, it’s used to grind wheat into flour, which is the staple ingredient in baked foods.

While you can easily buy pre-packaged flour from the supermarket, there are a few reasons why you might want to invest in a flour mill. For starters, freshly milled flour has a higher nutritional value than its store-bought equivalent. It also has a shorter shelf life, so you’ll need to use it up relatively quickly.

But most importantly, the main benefit of using freshly milled flour is that it gives your baked goods a unique flavour and texture that you just can’t get from store-bought flour. So if you’re looking to take your baking to the next level and make your business stand out, then a flour mill is definitely a worthwhile investment.

Bakery Oven

This one should come as no surprise — after all, what’s a bakery without an oven? Commercial ovens have a few key features that set them apart from regular home ovens. To start with, they’re much larger, so you’ll be able to bake large quantities of bread and pastries at once.

They also have a variety of settings that allow you to fine-tune the baking process. For instance, some models come with a steam injection system that adds moisture to the oven, resulting in a softer and fluffier crust. Others have a convection setting that circulates hot air around the food, ensuring even baking.

Levain Machine

This machine is used to make levain, which is a type of sourdough starter. It’s prepared by combining flour and water and fermenting it for a few days. Once it’s ready, you can use it to make sourdough bread, which is characterised by its slightly tangy flavour and chewy texture.

If you’re planning on making sourdough bread on a regular basis, then a levain machine will come in handy. Simply put the flour and water into the machine and let it do its thing — in a few days, you’ll have a fresh batch of levain that’s ready to use.

Proover

A proover is a temperature-controlled cabinet that’s used for proofing dough. This is the process of allowing the dough to rise before baking, which results in a lighter and airier end product.

Proofing dough can be a bit of a fiddly process, as you need to make sure that the dough is kept at a consistent temperature. A proover takes care of all the hard work for you, so you can be sure that your dough will rise perfectly every time.

Commercial Dishwasher

When you’re running a busy bakery, the last thing you want to worry about is washing all the dishes by hand. For this reason, choosing an appropriate commercial dishwasher for your business is essential.

In short, there are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a commercial dishwasher. Firstly, you need to make sure that it’s big enough to accommodate all the dishes and utensils you’ll need to wash on a daily basis.

Secondly, you need to choose a model with a shorter cycle time, as this will help to keep your kitchen running smoothly. And finally, you need to make sure that the dishwasher you choose is durable and built to last, as it’ll be seeing a lot of use during its lifetime.