Rolling pin preference?

[Carmen]

I want to buy a rolling pin and was thinking of either a marble one or the wood one without the handles. So far all I'd use it for is pizza dough and tortillas, though maybe one day I'll try pie crust. I'd read that marble was better for pastry dough. Is this the case or for the average user would wood be just as good?

[Amishway Homesteaders]

I want to buy a rolling pin and was thinking of either a marble one or the wood one without the handles. So far all I'd use it for is pizza dough and tortillas, though maybe one day I'll try pie crust. I'd read that marble was better for pastry dough. Is this the case or for the average user would wood be just as good?

 

the marble one is good because it stays cold so less dough sticks and it doesn't heat up what you are making.

But they do cost?

I still like a big ol' heavy wooden one(had it for over 30 years). we get others we use at yeard sales because they are the older (and better ones).

 

Just don't buy cheap from the dollor stores they don't last.

[Carmen]

Well I'm not concerned about cost..ok I am but I can get a decent looking marble one for under $30 so that's worth it if it's actually a better product..I just don't want to go with something way fancier than I need.

[Cat]

Well, you could check into trying my favorite...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-Glass-rolling-...=item3cabbdc070

(cheapest currently on eBay)

 

Someone told me about the old-fashioned glass rolling pins and I was intrigued. They filled them with cold or even ice water to give you both the chilling effect of marble and the weight that makes the job easier. So I bought one, and I like mine.

 

If the lid gets lost or somehow doesn't fit tightly, you can use a large cork to seal it up. You'll have to be sure it doesn't break, but the old ones are pretty sturdy anyway.

 

If the link is no longer good after this post ages, just go to eBay and type in "glass rolling pin" into search, then sort by "Price + Shipping : lowest first". And don't believe it when someone says they're "very rare" and they ask $500 for it!!! Some of the fancier glass ones, jadite or cobalt glass, *might* be, but you don't need more than clear glass.

 

And check out local resale shops or Goodwill or antique shops. If people don't bake, they won't sell, and might go cheaply!

 

 

 

[WormGuy]

I have one of those glass ones with a cap on it. I always wondered why a cap on a rolling pin. Now I know.

 

 

 

John

[TractorDiva]

I have 3 pins I use for different purposes. My good old woody - handed down from my g'ma to mom to me that is my go-to pin; my marble - that I picked up at a kitchen store in a factory outlet mall for under 20 and is used primarily for cold dough work; and a light weight, smooth plastic one for (exclusively) rolling fondant. I am normally not a sucker for uni-tasker pieces, but for a while I was doing a lot of fondant work and appreciated the plastic one over the marble for a couple of reasons: length and weight.

 

The other thing(s) that I love (that were a gift) are these rubber gaskets that slip onto the ends so that you can control the thickness/thinness of the rolled product. Yeah, its cheating. I cheat a lot, but I win a lot too! and when making the 5th or 6th batch of sugar cookies, those gaskets are nice to have so I don't have to try so hard to make the dough uniform.

 

 

 

 

[Leah]

The rings aren't cheating, but are harder to use than a doughboard.

A doughboard is basically just a cutting board with dowels along 3 of the edges. You put your ball of dough in and then just roll. Cookie bakers use them all the time, it's faster because they take all the guesswork out of the thickness.

Found you a link with pictures.

http://www.armchair.com/store/gourmet/baking/rollingpin.html

 

On topic, I just use an old wooden one.

[TractorDiva]

That's cool! Thanks for the link!

[Tiger]

I have a marble one, a regular old fashioned wooden one with handles, and a French styled tapered rolling pin. By far the one I use the most is the French style, even when rolling out chilled dough. It is so much easier to use and clean than the marble one.

[Skagitgal]

Plus 1 on the tapered pin.

[Crazy4Canning]

Well, thought I'd have my say - I've got a few.

 

I've got my grandma's pin from the 40's when she got married.

 

I've got a plastic one from my other grandma - 1970's avocado green. I like the weight for different things.

 

I also got a marble one as a wedding gift.

 

I do use them for different things.

 

I like the fact that I can chill or freeze the marble one and it DOES work better in the summer when I do this.