A traditional wooden rolling pin is what most of us visualize when we consider buying one. That's the type that our mothers and grandmothers probably used in their kitchens. The classic rolling pin is still quite popular, but there are many other choices available and even some that are of interest to collectors.
Instructions
1. Determine your needs in a rolling pin. Most people use a rolling pin to roll and smooth out dough to make pie crusts, breads, cookies and various types of pastries. This rolling pin is a cylinder made of wood, approximately 12 inches in length, with ball bearings on the inside aligned with a handle on each end that rolls smoothly over the dough as you apply pressure. The types of wood for a rolling pin include mahogany, cherry, beech, walnut and even pine.
2. Roll out the dough with a more professional or modern rolling pin that is made of marble, granite, nylon or even silicone. These types of rolling pins are usually made in a single long cylinder approximately 2 to 3 inches in diameter with no handles. The length of these can vary depending on the preference of the baker. The benefit to some of these, particularly the silicone, is that the dough does not stick to the surface.
3. Consider buying a rolling pin that is made of metal such as nickel, aluminum or tin. A nickel rolling pin is usually very heavy and is used to roll out large, thick batters of dough. Prices for these types of rolling pins vary depending on the length and type of metal, but they can be around $100 or more.
4. Pound out your dough carefully if you buy a rolling pin that is made of glass, clay or porcelain. These types are believed to have originated in England and some European countries. The glass cylinder is most often hollow so that ice can be placed inside to keep the dough cool while it is being rolled out. These glass and breakable-type rolling pins are not as popular because they are quite fragile.
5. Make holiday cookies and pastries by buying a rolling pin that has embellishments around the cylinder. As you roll the rolling pin over the dough, you cut out cookies for baking or pastry designs to assemble. These are available at gourmet kitchen stores and are more expensive than standard rolling pins.
6. Collect rolling pins by buying ones made of "Depression glass." These were popular around the years 1930 to 1940. They can be found in a variety of colors, just like other pieces of Depression glass. These rolling pins are fragile and sometimes hard to find, so they are a favorite of collectors. Your best options to find some of these would be to shop at antique stores that specialize in Depression glass.
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