Stock Your Own Baker’s Pantry

Whenever I use an item in my baker’s pantry, I replace it, which helps to make dessert-making easier, faster and more spontaneous. My freezer holds cakes and doughs. I also keep unflavored buttercreams, chocolate shavings, flakes, cigarettes and curls, unbaked streusel and cake crumbs in it. I have 5 pounds of unsalted butter always on hand and a large variety of nuts. I toast 3 to 5 pounds of hazelnuts at a time, remove their skins, and then freeze them to save time when I am ready for baking.