What Are Rolling Pins Used for? | 5 Ways To Use a Rolling Pin

Rolling pins are a must in every kitchen, but if you've never cooked or baked before, you might be unsure of how to use them. To make sure you get the most out of this practical instrument, here are the best ways to use a rolling pin.

What Is a Rolling Pin?

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Before we talk about how to use a rolling pin, let's first explain what it is.

A rolling pin is a long cylindrical kitchen tool that is mostly used to roll out objects. These instruments, which are frequently referred to as rollers, resemble rods but are thicker. They often come in a variety of types and are made of various materials, which we will learn more about below.

Best Ways to Use a Rolling Pin

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Wondering how to use a rolling pin? Continue reading to find out:

1)  Use It To Roll Dough

Rolling pins are best used to roll out different kinds of dough such as cinnamon rolls, pizza, cookie dough, etc. It can also be used to roll out puff pastry and scones. It ensures that the dough is evenly fattened to prevent inconsistent baking or even burning.

2)  Use It To Make Crumbs

Rolling pins work well for producing all types of crumbs, including graham and bread crumbs. To do this, the food item is commonly placed inside a zip-lock bag or covered with a tea towel before being rolled with a rolling pin. Although this can be done using a food processor, a rolling pin makes the process easier.

3)  Use It To Embellish Pastries

Certain rolling pins like laser-cut or textured rolling pins have raised decorations on the surface. This kind of rolling pin is used to decorate shortcrust pastry by imprinting a pattern on the dough. They are also frequently used to carve designs in fondant while decorating cakes.

4)  Use It as a Meat Tenderizers

A meat tenderizer is a piece of hand-powered equipment used to flatten various types of meat, mainly beef, and chicken, for cooking. They are frequently hefty and require you to use pressure when tenderizing the meat. Although meat tenderizers are the finest tool for tenderizing meat, rolling pins can also be used. Unlike a meat tenderizer, you can use a rolling pin to smooth the meat once it has been tenderized.

5)  Use It To Grind Spices

Similar to crumbling, you can use a rolling pin to grind spices instead of using a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder. Identical to crumbling, this process involves putting the ingredients in a sizable zip-lock bag, sealing it, then crushing or grinding the contents with a rolling pin.

Types of Rolling Pins

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Now that you know the different uses of a rolling pin, here are the different types so that you can choose one that suits you best:

1)  Handled Rolling Pins

This is probably the most familiar rolling pin that most people recognize. This kind of rolling pin has two handles and is often referred to as a standard rolling pin, American, or bakers' rolling pin. Modern variations include ball bearings that allow the middle of the roller to move separately from the grips for a smoother, more fluid motion.

2)  French Rolling Pins

A french rolling pin come in two primary varieties: straight and tapered.

A tapered pin usually tapers at the ends and lacks handles. These pins come in different sizes. The very small tapered pins are no more than a few inches and are usually used to make dumplings.

Straight or dowel rolling pins are very similar to tapered pins. The only difference is that straight french-style rolling pins are typically thicker and heavier than tapered pins.

3)  Textured Rolling Pins

As mentioned above, a textured rolling pin is a rolling pin with raised decorations. Instead of flattening the dough, textured rolling pins are typically used for aesthetic purposes. These rolling pins feature designs like swirls, hearts, or stars that are transferred to the material they are used on.

4)  Precision Rolling Pins

Precision rolling pins are great for accurate baking activities. These rolling pins include minute laser-etched lines similar to a ruler.

Precision rolling pins combine all the best features of a conventional rolling pin into a single unit. For the best precision rolling pins that you can use for all of your cooking and baking tasks, check out Pepe Nero.

The Various Materials Used in Rolling Pins

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Whether you are using a standard, textured or french pin, each of these rolling pins can be made of different materials. Here are the different types:

1)  Wooden Rolling Pins

These rolling pins are constructed entirely of wood and are common in most kitchens. While most kitchen tasks can be accomplished with these rolling pins, the material needs to be handled with care. Unlike other rolling pin materials, they cannot be washed in the dishwasher or left soaked in water.

2)  Marble Rolling Pins

Similar to a conventional wooden rolling pin, a marble rolling pin functions in the same way, except the cylinder is made of stone. Some of them have handles made of wood, while others are constructed entirely of marble. This material is typically used by people who enjoy working with laminated dough and who value aesthetics.

3)  Metal Rolling Pins

Metal rolling pins are often well-balanced and require lesser maintenance than wooden and marble rolling pins. They also perform best when crushing, grinding, and rolling dough.

4)  Other Materials

Besides the common materials mentioned above, rolling pins can also be made of plastic, glass, and silicone. No matter what material you choose, make sure that you can take the weight of the rolling pin and that it is comfortable to use.

Summary

As you can see above, rolling pins not only have different uses but they can also be made of different materials and can be of different types. If you're searching for a rolling pin that is versatile and can be used for practically everything, check out Pepe Nero.