How To Use A Glass Rolling Pin
Whether it’s to make flatbread or to straighten out dough, glass rolling pins are extremely versatile and can come in handy in a lot of situations.
Unlike regular rolling pins, these are specially designed to fulfill multiple purposes.
For example, because one end of the glass rolling pin has a bottle cap, you can fill this rolling pin with hot or cold water, depending on how you want to use it to flatten or roll out dough.
Glass rolling pins have been around for centuries and have recently started to make a comeback with many decorated and artisanal rolling pins being increasingly available online and in stores.
How do you use a glass rolling pin? Using a glass rolling pin is easy as it works just like a regular rolling pin, except with a glass rolling pin you can add water inside the roller to change its weight and even the temperature of the rolling pin so you can flatten or roll out dough easily.
If you have been considering investing in a glass rolling pin then you are in the right place. We’ll be discussing all the uses and advantages of using a glass rolling pin and how you can use it in everyday cooking as well.
Read below to learn more!
Glass Rolling Pins – A Brief History
Glass rolling pins are actually considered to be an antique way to flatten dough. They are thought to have been first introduced in England in the 18th century.
This specific rolling pin was so famous and ubiquitous back then that sailors would even bring home decorated rollers as gifts for their families.
The glass rolling pin had a huge advantage over regular wooden rolling pins as it offered customizability.
If you look at the construction of a glass rolling pin, you will find it to be usually made from one piece of glass with an opening on the side.
The capped side is by design as it allows the user to add water, thereby increasing the weight of the pin and the temperature as well.
For example, you can add hot water to the pin which will make the exterior of the roller warm as well. This will help in flattening out dough more easily.
Glass rolling pins slowly phased out as they were known to be fragile, hard to store, and the danger of finding cracked glass in one’s dough wasn’t a pleasant experience as well.
Plastic or wooden rolling pins took over the market while glass rolling pins took a side seat.
But now, as technology has progressed, we are able to build stronger glass made from composite materials.
This allows the glass to retain its fundamental properties but with increased durability. Back in the day, glass pins were made from “thin” glass, which was prone to breaking.
These rolling pins also used to be clunky and hard to use because of their larger size and wider diameter. Nowadays you can easily find durable and compact glass rolling pins that are made to resist breakage.
These pins are ideally used for baking and can be used for making all types of flatbreads as well.
Generally speaking, these rolling pins offer much more versatility when it comes to rolling out dough, here are a few benefits of using a glass rolling pin:
- It’s lightweight and you can adjust the weight of the pin by adding liquid.
- You can change the temperature of the rolling pin using hot or cold water.
- Glass rolling pins are naturally transparent which allows for more visibility as you roll dough.
- Can be cleaned very easily and thoroughly.
- Glass rolling pins can be decorated and used as a stylistic baking tool.
Practical Uses Of Glass Rolling Pins
The use of glass rolling pins is very selective but many people find it to easily replace regular wooden or plastic rolling pins as well.
Modern glass rolling pins tend to either be one single piece of glass or have a capped end which you can fill with water.
Both rolling pins have their use but if you are going to buy one, we suggest that you go with a glass rolling pin as it offers more control over the roller.
For example, when dealing with a dough made using tapioca starch, you would ideally want to keep the dough warm.
As the tapioca dough cools down, it becomes harder to work with. You can microwave the dough for a while to heat it again, but another solution to this problem would be to use a glass rolling pin.
Just fill the rolling pin with hot water and straighten out the dough easily.
Whenever the dough becomes to cool down and stiffen, just give it a quick roll and it should be pliable again. This is just one use-case of this wonderful baking tool. You can also use it for doughs that require cold temperatures as well.
Furthermore, if you want to add some weight to the pin, just fill in water and roll out as needed.
You can reduce the weight of the rolling pin by removing some water from it. This will allow you to have much more control over how you want the dough to flatten out.
The Experience Of Using A Glass Rolling Pin
Glass rolling pins can feel odd at first, but once you get a hang of it, you will be able to use it like any other rolling pin.
There doesn’t seem to be a learning curve with this pin; however, you might want to adjust it in a way that you like to get into a habit of using it.
This can take some experimentation but once you have the particulars down, you won’t be able to use your regular pin.
Physically, rolling out dough using a glass rolling pin feels a lot like using a wooden or plastic roller but because we are wired to be careful around the glass, you might be hesitant to put pressure on the handles.
Needless to say, if you buy a high-quality roller, there is very little risk of any sort of damage.
However, the reverse is true as well. If you come across a cheap glass rolling pin, then we suggest that you avoid it as it may break when you press down on the handles too hard.
Some types of doughs require a heavy hand but if you get a durable pin, you can easily use it to roll out any type of dough.
Remember, the better the quality of glass, the more long-lasting and safe-to-use the rolling pin will be.
Decorating A Glass Rolling Pin
Decorating glass rolling pins is a very fun and fulfilling activity. Since the glass pin is hollow and acts as a container, you can fill it up with anything that you like.
For example, you can fill the rolling pin with some colorful beads that will rotate as you use the pin.
This will add weight, stability, and character to your rolling pin. Cleaning the pin should be easy as well as all you would have to do is open one end of the pin and let the beads out.
You can also use confetti inside the pin for the same purpose. Of course, if you don’t require the rolling pin to have a lot of weight, then just fill it up with confetti.
It’s a great way to express your creativity and to add a bit of fun in the kitchen as well.
Finally, if you want to get really creative then we also recommend filling the rolling pin with some water and a colored dye.
Mix and match as per your liking and change the colors up whenever the mood hits. This type of rolling pin is eye-catching and very fun to use too!
Conclusion
Rolling pins are an extremely important tool to have in the kitchen. Whether it’s cinnamon rolls, flatbread, or any other type of pastry, having a rolling pin at hand can save you a lot of time and effort.
Glass rolling pins may be antique but they still have a lot of purposes, especially now when they are making a comeback.
Use the pin in different ways by adjusting its weight and temperature. You can even customize the look of the rolling pin as per your mood too.
Remember, always go with a high-quality and durable glass rolling pin as it will be least likely to disappoint when you need it the most.
Related Questions
Now that we’ve gone over how you can use a glass rolling pin, let’s take a look at a few related questions on the subjects!
Can you use glass rolling pins to store liquid?
Yes, you can use a glass rolling pin to store any kind of liquid.
However, we would caution you against doing so because the shape of the rolling pin along with the liquid and momentum inside may cause it to roll over and fall from any countertop with even the slightest of movement.
Are glass-rolling pins durable?
Glass rolling pins come in many different varieties. Some are made using cheap manufacturing methods that render the glass fragile and difficult to work with.
However, high-quality glass rolling pins are much easier and reliable to use as they can take on a lot more pressure than lower-quality glass.
Is a glass rolling pin superior to wooden rolling pins?
Glass rolling pins are very purpose-driven, meaning that you would only use them for a specific purpose.
They can also just be used to add style to your baking but for general purposes, wooden rolling pins seem to be a convenient and go-to option for many people.
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