Primary use
The cooling racks or baking racks functions as a storage place for baked goods where you cool and let them rest before you frost, serve or pack them. There are different sizes of cooling racks. They are usually made out of metal. There are small metal bars along the rack which allows the air to circulate on top and underneath the goods.
Sizes and prices
The sizes and prices of baking racks vary. There are simple and single racks that are only under $10. These can accommodate batches of cupcakes, cookies or single layer of cake. There are also other cooling racks that have several levels or tiers. These types of cooling racks are usually collapsible so that they will not occupy much space when stored away. Cooling racks with tiers are great for items that are short like several batches of cookies though some may comment that the heat from every rack is likely to increase the time it will take the cookies to cool.
There are different sizes of cooling racks which include square, round and rectangular. The round cooling racks are useful when baking round layer of cakes. They are an excellent tool to use when you flip a cake from the cake pan. You simply place the cooling rack on the top of the cake pan, turn the pan upside down and when you try to lift the pan, your cake will come out and then be cooled down before proceeding to frost.
Why cooling racks are essential
When baking cakes, cooling racks are indispensable. If you try to frost a cake that is still warm, your frosting will have an irregular texture or will eventually melt. If you are planning to leave the cake inside the pan to cool down, you can instead place it on a cooling rack so that the cooling process will speed up. Likewise, you can place warm tarts, pies or turnovers over a cooling rack in order to have them cool down quickly.
Finding the best rack
You need to look for cooling racks that will perfectly fit your baking needs. For example, if you are into baking cookies, the best choice for you will be a three-tiered cooling rack that is collapsible. If you are making huge cakes with oblong shapes, purchase cooling racks where the pan can sit comfortably. When you are turning a cake that is very small, it is definitely not recommended to use cooling racks. If you use a cooling rack, it will usually result into your cake breaking when you get the cake from its pan. If you bake most of the time you might want to purchase different sizes of cooling racks.