Visions of sugar cookies may dance in our heads this time of year. But making the cookies from scratch can quickly conjure up other visions: dough that clings to the rolling pin, cookie-cutter frustration and sticky cleanups.
You can always blame the recipe, but we wanted to find the role of the rolling pin -- and if it makes sense, as more manufacturers seem to think, to reinvent the pin. We went online to find five versions, classic or revamped. For help judging them, we sought the advice of Tom Vaccaro, associate dean of baking and pastry at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. He suggested starting with cold, cubed butter, shaping dough into a 1-inch-tall brick and refrigerating it for at least six hours.
We then gathered a small crowd of child and adult bakers, and set them to work. We rolled on waxed paper atop a kitchen counter, and dusted each pin lightly with flour once.
Our younger bakers got a kick out of prepping the hollow Bennington Flameware Glass Rolling Pin ($20) from Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop, which you fill with ice (a cold pin keeps the dough cool and is supposed to reduce stickiness). The pin skidded nicely across the dough for the first pushes, but our hands quickly froze -- and the pin began to sweat condensation onto the dough. We worried that a young baker might send the pin crashing into shards on the floor. And cleanup was a pain; the ice cubes wouldn't fall out easily, so the pin had to be up-ended and drained in a dish-rack.
Sur La Table's marble rolling pin ($25 including marble cradle, $50 with board) also presented safety issues; it's heavy enough to break a toe. And the cradle and board require added storage space. But the marble kept the dough cool, and the pin was as sleek as a Noguchi sculpture.
High technology began to win points when we tried Pastry Chef Central's Sil-pin, ($30) which claims to be the first silicone rolling pin in the world. It was fun to use, didn't stick, and our 13-year-old tester said it looked like "a really cool dog toy." But silicone turned out to have disadvantages: It produced a static electricity that made the pin a magnet for dust (and anything else loose in the kitchen). It's easy to clean, since you just have to wipe it with a damp paper towel. But you have to be wary: If it ends up in the dishwasher, it can be ruined.
For the best traditional rolling experience, we liked Bridge Kitchenware's wooden Two-Handed Rolling Pin. It makes a satisfying grinding noise while it rolls on ball bearings, reminding you that it's doing all the work. But this version is cumbersome to store, and a little heavy for a child. And despite the $76 price tag, it arrived with a small split in one handle.
As it turned out, handles are superfluous in a really great pin. The Vic Firth French Rolling Pin ($14 from ChefTools.com), is a compact, tapered baton of maple that evokes a percussionist's tool -- and for good reason. Vic Firth was a timpanist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra who made drumsticks for 40 years before moving on to cookware.
As we rolled the highly sanded pin with our open palms, we felt blissfully at one with the dough. Cleanup is a few wipes with a damp cloth, and the pin stows neatly in a utensil holder or deep kitchen drawer. It was our Best Value and Best Overall.
STORE/PRICE/PHONE: ChefTools.com Vic Firth French Rolling Pin 20-inch $13.95 866-716-2433
QUALITY: Best Value and Best Overall. Solid rock maple was sanded velvety smooth, and the pin was compact and efficient.
SHIPPING COST/TIME: We paid $14.95 for express shipping; it arrived in five business days. Five shipping options, but only one -- next business day -- is guaranteed.
RETURN POLICY: Within 30 days. You pay shipping on refunds and exchanges unless product is defective or the company erred.
PHONE/WEB EXPERIENCE: Informative site, with product use tips and gift registry.
COMMENT: ChefTools site offers 30 rolling pins of various shapes, sizes and colors.
STORE/PRICE/PHONE: Bridge Kitchenware Wooden Two-Handed Rolling Pin 12-inch Professional $76.00 800-274-3435 bridgekitchenware.com
QUALITY: Heavy, well sanded, a beauty. One of the handles had a small split, which did not affect its performance. Bridge said it would replace any defective product without new shipping charges.
SHIPPING COST/TIME: We paid $7.50 for UPS ground; the pin arrived in five business days. (The site said priority shipping was available, but it wasn't an option at checkout.)
RETURN POLICY: Refund for unused item in original packaging. Customer pays shipping.
PHONE/WEB EXPERIENCE: We expected an all-natural tone pin, based on the site's picture, but received one with red handles. Company acknowledged this was the case.
COMMENT: Site is geared to professional chefs. To save time, look for tiny "search" button at bottom of the page. Bridge said Web site is four years old and that it is testing a new one.
STORE/PRICE/PHONE: Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop Bennington Flameware Glass Rolling Pin, 15 inches $19.99 800-443-2683 fantes.com
QUALITY: Hollow tube of laboratory glass looks and feels well made. When the tube got too cold, condensation formed and rolled into dough.
SHIPPING COST/TIME: We paid $15 for expedited service; it arrived on fifth day.
RETURN POLICY: "Within a reasonable amount of time." You pay shipping on refunds and exchanges unless company erred or the product is defective.
PHONE/WEB EXPERIENCE: Easy-to-use site of a family-owned company maintains a warm, funny tone. They can outfit you to make everything from aebleskiver to zabaglione.
COMMENT: Earlier this week, site said importer had discontinued supplies of product. Fante's co-owner Mariella Esposito says she doesn't like glass pins, but customers kept asking for them.
STORE/PRICE/PHONE: Sur La Table Marble Rolling Pin and Cradle, 10" $24.95 (with board, $49.95 total) 866-328-5412 surlatable.com
QUALITY: Stylish marble, with light wooden handles, rolls easily. But could its weight break some toes? "That is probably true with the marble. Marble is heavy," a company spokesman said.
SHIPPING COST/TIME: We paid $26.45 for express shipping; it arrived in four business days.
RETURN POLICY: Guaranteed exchange or refund. If anything is damaged or defective, company will have UPS pick it up.
PHONE/WEB EXPERIENCE: Hip, fun site is easy to navigate. The site is currently out of stock on this product, but click on a store near you; it will ship for the online price.
COMMENT: The company stands by its claim that marble is best for pastry -- including sugar cookies.
STORE/PRICE/PHONE: Pastry Chef Central Sil-pin Baker's Style, 20 inches $29.95, 888-750-2433 pastrychef.com
QUALITY: Lightweight, but silicone surface resists sticking; substantial enough to do the job. But running water can damage it.
SHIPPING COST/TIME: We paid $8 for UPS ground; it arrived in five business days.
RETURN POLICY: Within 30 days, in new condition and original packaging. You pay shipping.
PHONE/WEB EXPERIENCE: Nice site, easy to navigate.
COMMENT: Silicone's static electricity attracts dust and hair. "All silicone products attract lint," said a Pastry Chef spokesman.
First Published: December 16, 2005, 5:00 a.m.
