Perfect equipment for stress-free Christmas baking

Christmas baking can be a stress-free activity if you have ingredients measured and equipment lined up in advance, writes Carol O’Callaghan.

As a complete amateur in the baking department, I can only dream of whipping up the delights we see in Bake-Off style programmes. But if there’s anything I’ve learned in the last year or so since I dipped a tentative wooden spoon in batter, it’s to avoid improvisation with ingredients and stick tenaciously to the recipe.

Baking tins come in all shapes and sizes. Wash and dry them carefully and they’ll last a lifetime (Vardagen range at Ikea, two for €4.75).