Baking with Silicone

You’ve seen them in the housewares section of department stores or in specialty kitchen shops. What are those colorful rubbery-like baking pans? Do they really work? The answer is yes – professional chefs have been using them for years! If you’ve always wanted to give silicone bakeware a try, now is the time. More brand choices and recent improvements make silicone bakeware a good way to take charge of your baking in 2007! Read and learn about the benefits of silicone...

Silicone is a class of inorganic rubbers of various compositions and formulas made by linking silica atoms. Silicone was developed for its superior reliability, long life, and extreme temperature adaptability and stability and will not become misshapen or break down due to extreme temperature exposure. The FDA requires silicone pans are made from a formula designed specifically for baking without fillers. Fillers compromise the performance of the baking.

Most silicone bakeware can stand temperatures of 400-500°F. It can also stand temperatures of below 0°F. Check the instructions on any silicone bakeware you purchase for temperature range. Never use bakeware on direct heat, stovetops, or hot plates.

Some major benefits of using silicone bakeware are:

Naturally non-stick material – silicone has nothing that will wear off, chip or fade. You should lightly oil or spray with non-stick spray before each use.

Perfect Release - unmolding your favorite recipe is easy. To remove cake or muffins from the bakeware, invert and apply pressure to the bottom while carefully peeling bakeware back. For cakes – place baking sheet with pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before unmolding, for breads and muffins, unmold at once.

Quality Results – Browns beautifully, bakes evenly and completely with no burnt bottoms or edges. Bakeware stops baking when you remove it from the oven and it will never retain odors from the foods that you are cooking. Cools quickly and the rim will be cool to the touch within a few minutes from being removed from oven.

Versatility and durability – Safe for use in the oven, microwave and freezer and can be used for meats, quiche and cold treats such as mousse, fruits, pudding and ice cream besides baking. To use in freezer, pour batter evenly into bakeware and place on level surace in freezer. Frozen batter can go straight to the oven or microwave for defrosting or baking. Before filling, place on firm baking sheet. For cupcake and muffins, fill almost to the top. For tube pans, leave at least an inch of space at the top of the pan. For all other bakeware follow recipe directions. When using silicone bakeware, baking time may be shortened by 5 to 10 minutes.

Easy to Clean – Dishwasher safe or clean with warm soapy water (do not use abrasive soap or scour pads). Do not use sharp objects or cut on the surface of the pan. You can turn the pan inside out since it is so flexible. Never scrub another corner or crevice again! Silicone bakeware will not retain odors or flavors.

Easy to Store – Flexible and lightweight material allows you to bend, twist and fold for easy and space-efficient storage. It will “pop” back to original shape when removed from storage.