If you’re a baker, you know what a difference having the right equipment can make to ensure your finished product is perfect. But what exactly is the right equipment? In this article, we discuss the most common types of bakeware and their pros and cons so that you can be as well informed as possible when you next walk into your local quality baking equipment store or purchase bakeware online.
Most bakers choose aluminium for their quality baking equipment. Aluminium is a metal which conducts heat well, so baked goods cook evenly. However, some items may not brown the way you want them to. Aluminium pans work well with most kinds of food but are not recommended for foods containing high amounts of acidity, such as tomato-based foods or foods having a lot of citrus juice.
Glass is also a popular material for quality baking equipment. Like aluminium, glass is a good conductor. Unlike aluminium, food can brown completely. Also unlike aluminium, you can use it to prepare acidic foods. However, keep in mind that because glass heats up so fast, some baking temperatures should be reduced by about 25 degrees.
One of the newest bake ware materials available in stores is silicone. There are many advantages to using silicone cookware. Silicone pans can be used at any temperature and are naturally non-stick. Silicone non stick bake ware heats and browns foods evenly. Even better, unlike metal pans, foods stop cooking as soon as they are removed from the oven. Flexible silicone bake ware can even be folded for storage.
Tinned steel is also a good choice for bakeware. It is made with steel coated with tin. It conducts heat well, cooks food evenly, and allows for good browning. Over time, tin plate bakeware may darken slightly, which will not effect its baking ability. Make sure to dry your tinned steel bakeware completely after washing so that it does not rust.
Lastly, another good thing to look at is bakeware that is insulated. In this unique bakeware construction there are two layers of metal, between these two layers is a thin layer of air. Since the air provides insulation, this type of bakeware is more capable of providing even baking and browning, while resisting any burning. With insulated bakeware you may have to bake foods for a slightly long period, due to the fact that insulation lowers the heat of the cooking.
Aluminium bake ware is the most prevalent type of quality baking equipment on the market today. Aluminium conducts heat evenly and efficiently. Another very popular material used in baking pans is glass. Glass is great at conducting heat. Silicone bake ware is a fairly new development. Foods cooked in silicone non stick bakeware warm well, brown evenly, and food stops cooking when removed from the oven. A good material for baking accessories is tinned steel. After a while you may notice that your tin plate bakeware takes on a slightly darker shade, but this is purely cosmetic and doesn’t affect functionality or quality in any way.
- Robin Holland-Smith