Silpat pads

[Jmahl]

Help, I just came into possession of several Silpat pads and I have tried some cookies and cream puffs and I do not like the results. I need help on how to change my recipes to use the things.

Thanks,

Jmahl

[sugar plum]

I have been given two Silpats (as gifts) and rarely use them. Found they didn't work as well as parchment paper. I'd be curious to hear if others have had the same results as us?! Or are we in the minority?

[gfron1]

I use them more for cleanliness purposes. For example, I roll out my pastries on them. I line my oven often times with them...etc. When I do bake on them, its typically on my airbake sheet which seems to give better results. Last week I used my toaster oven-sized silpat to roll sushi.

[reenicake]

They work best with things that do not particularly need to bake crisp, or that you would like to retain moisture with. One great way to use them is baking thin sheets of sponge cake for roulades.

If you ever make tuiles (aka tulipe cups, or cigarette cookies) they will save you a lot of grief as well. They bake evenly and retain enough heat so that you can get the cookies off and shaped without the usual trauma.

[DCP]

As others up-thread have said, these are good for cleanliness purposes. I use mine to keep things non-stick and clean, usually instead of a sheet of foil over the top of the cookie sheet. They do heat very evenly but tend to prevent crisping - or require longer cooking times. Still quite worth it.

[djyee100]

Silpats are handy for baking macaroons. Also, if you make the Minimalist No-Knead Bread recipe, you can let the dough do its second rise on a silpat, then plop the silpat into the preheated pot.

I agree with others here, I would not use a silpat for cookies that I want to bake up crisp.

[gfron1]

I forgot - sugar work!

[insomniac]

I use them more for cleanliness purposes.  For example, I roll out my pastries on them.  I line my oven often times with them...etc.  When I do bake on them, its typically on my airbake sheet which seems to give better results.  Last week I used my toaster oven-sized silpat to roll sushi.

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genius!!!!!

[Jmahl]

Thank ya'all. (After all I am from TEXAS).

I know I would got the answer from the folks at eG.

I will follow up on your suggestions.

Jmahl

[jaynesb]

I sometimes used mine on top of a rimmed baking sheet if I've got a pie pan or tart pan with something that contains a caramel-type filling that can boil over. It makes cleanup a lot simpler.

jayne

[tino27]

I just used mine over the weekend to make parmesan "cups" -- sort of like a tuille, but with parmesan cheese instead. They worked like a champ for that purpose. I've also seen them used for pate de fruit -- which sort of goes along the lines of the "sugar" work mentioned earlier, I suppose. I'd bet they'd also be killer for doing things like brittles and caramelized nuts and such.

[JAZ]

They're great for pouring out candy.

[cajungirl]

They're great for allowing very wet dough to proof, eliminates sticking. I have a really big one (and a small one) and use it for hand-kneading, rolling out pastry dough, etc.