Silicone baking sheets

[Darienne]

Silicone baking sheets

I can't find much information on these sheets and am quite curious about them. Yesterday, while amusing myself in the local second hand store while DH was looking for some guy type thing, I came across two odd pink rubbery type sheets with rigid edges...as if the material were rolled over an open wire frame... The flat surface is not at all rigid. Took them to the cash and asked what on earth they were? Silicone baking sheets was the answer. Right. Should have thought of that.

Googled until I found what I think they are.

Has anyone used them? They don't look all that useful to me but then maybe they are excellent for something???

[GlowingGhoul]

Silpat's are cheap, reinforced with fiberglass, and since they're made in France, I don't have to worry that some toxic waste was mixed into the silicone to "stretch" it.

[Lisa Shock]

I have a few that I got from major manufacturers. They are good to use in place of spray or parchment paper for things like cookies, scones, biscuits, etc.

I also use them for working pulled sugar.

Just be aware that they have insulating properties, so, unless you have a convection oven, they will slow the transfer of heat from the pan to the food making it take longer to cook.

[Anna N]

I have a few that I got from major manufacturers. They are good to use in place of spray or parchment paper for things like cookies, scones, biscuits, etc.

I also use them for working pulled sugar.

Just be aware that they have insulating properties, so, unless you have a convection oven, they will slow the transfer of heat from the pan to the food making it take longer to cook.

Lisa,

Are these non-slip like most silicone bakeware is (as opposed to non-stick!). I have this idea that some sheets of silicone might be used in the freezer to prevent things from sliding around and landing on my feet! I have silicone ice cube trays and they don't slip around in the freezer. Thanks.

[Darienne]

Thanks for all the replies but I am wondering if anyone looked up the link I put in the top of my OP. This silicone item is unlike any other I've ever seen and this is what I am asking about. Thanks again.

[SylviaLovegren]

I'd be scared to buy silicone stuff made in China -- who knows what they put in it?

[Anna N]

Thanks for all the replies but I am wondering if anyone looked up the link I put in the top of my OP. This silicone item is unlike any other I've ever seen and this is what I am asking about. Thanks again.

I did but it is almost impossible to determine anything from the link. Perhaps if you have seen them in the store then you see more in the illustration than exists. Nothing at all is clear in the link - are they liners for baking sheets or are they stand alone baking sheets?

[Darienne]

DH is helping me to describe them.

It looks as if a rectangular metal wire frame. about the thickness of a clothes hanger, with rounded corners, with a piece of rubbery stretched over the frame. While the frame is rigid. the stretched rubbery material is not. It has quite a bit of bounce to it, like a tiny pink trampoline. Quite strange looking. I know the photo is not all that clear and that's about the best I can do. As I said, I've never seen anything like it and the folks at the second hand store searched quite a bit before they figured out what it was.

[azlee]

Silicone baking sheets

I can't find much information on these sheets and am quite curious about them. Yesterday, while amusing myself in the local second hand store while DH was looking for some guy type thing, I came across two odd pink rubbery type sheets with rigid edges...as if the material were rolled over an open wire frame... The flat surface is not at all rigid. Took them to the cash and asked what on earth they were? Silicone baking sheets was the answer. Right. Should have thought of that.

Googled until I found what I think they are.

Has anyone used them? They don't look all that useful to me but then maybe they are excellent for something???

these are similar. personally, i prefer silpat or matfer sheets. i use a similar red silicone round mat in my microwave to keep the glass tray clean. when i replace the microwave mat, i will likely but a silpat microwave mat

[andiesenji]

Thanks for all the replies but I am wondering if anyone looked up the link I put in the top of my OP. This silicone item is unlike any other I've ever seen and this is what I am asking about. Thanks again.

I have a silicone kneading mat that is similar, quite soft and far more flexible than the Silpat types.

I also bought a pan liner of the stuff but it really doesn't fit my baking sheets. The size stated on the Amazon product page is not correct. 1t is 11 inches wide, not 12 and I have noted it in the review I posted.

It doesn't have a wire frame.

Edited January 1, 2012 by andiesenji (log)

[JeanneCake]

A long time ago (in a galaxy far far away... ok sorry); I bought some Kitchen Aid silicone muffin "things" that had a detachable metal frame so you could put it in the oven without having to put the thing on a sheet pan.

It was useless. Anything I baked in it seemed to me to take on the faintest odor of silicone and the metal frame made it harder to move in and out of the oven, so I stopped using it for baking and started using it for holding the petals of the gum paste flowers I make. Then when I moved my kitchen, I tossed them out because they took up more room than they were worth.

I wonder if this is supposed to be some sort of cookie sheet type thing; but I would not advise using it like that if the rubber stuff is that stretchy and trampoline-like in the middle! The metal frame may preclude using it in the microwave. Maybe use it for your lollipops? Kind of like perpetual parchment paper?

[Kerry Beal]

DH is helping me to describe them.

It looks as if a rectangular metal wire frame. about the thickness of a clothes hanger, with rounded corners, with a piece of rubbery stretched over the frame. While the frame is rigid. the stretched rubbery material is not. It has quite a bit of bounce to it, like a tiny pink trampoline. Quite strange looking. I know the photo is not all that clear and that's about the best I can do. As I said, I've never seen anything like it and the folks at the second hand store searched quite a bit before they figured out what it was.

I've seen those before - but my suspicion is that is wasn't in a kitchen shop. I'm wondering if it might have been something for working with clay?

Or a silicone pet feeding mat.

Edited January 1, 2012 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Darienne]

Silicone baking sheet. This kind of reference is the best that I can find. Some things are not going to work out and this just may be one of them.

Thanks all for the help.

(I just might buy them next Sunday if they are still there. Sundays are 50% off for old guys. )

[Kerry Beal]

I might use it on the counter to stop things from moving but I'm not sure if I'd be putting it in the oven.

[pastrygirl]

I'm of the mind that there is a time and a place for silicone, but not every kitchen tool benefits from being made out of it. I would pass on the baking sheets.

[Darienne]

I'm of the mind that there is a time and a place for silicone, but not every kitchen tool benefits from being made out of it. I would pass on the baking sheets.

At half price on Senior Sunday, each one will cost $1.50. And it's mostly curiosity that is egging me on. I don't need them or really want them. I just want to know who uses them for what and so far I have gotten nowhere. If I ever do find some use for them, I'll pass it on. On the other hand, they could well be gone. Right now I'm waiting for an electric roaster to be half-price...and still be there.

[azlee]

I'm of the mind that there is a time and a place for silicone, but not every kitchen tool benefits from being made out of it. I would pass on the baking sheets.

At half price on Senior Sunday, each one will cost $1.50. And it's mostly curiosity that is egging me on. I don't need them or really want them. I just want to know who uses them for what and so far I have gotten nowhere. If I ever do find some use for them, I'll pass it on. On the other hand, they could well be gone. Right now I'm waiting for an electric roaster to be half-price...and still be there.

perhaps, it would be easier to help if you could post a picture of the actual item

Edited January 2, 2012 by azlee (log)

[Darienne]

perhaps, it would be easier to help if you post a picture of the actual item

Will do. However, if you go to the OP on this topic and click on the link, you'll get a photo of what this thing looks like. Ofr course it's only from one not too useful angle. I could take my camera into the store tomorrow and ask if they mind my taking a couple of photos of the item for 'educational' purposes. I think they'll agree. It's a pretty informal and friendly place and the staff were quite curious to figure out what it was also. I'll try.

[Lisa Shock]

Is there a brand name imprinted in them?

I have some solid-color pink Cuisinart brand mats (and yes, I own Silpats, too) that were part of a promotion at Bed Bath & Beyond about 5 years ago. They were sold to for baking. But, they don't have wire in them.

That said, I have seen similar mats sold as pet food mats, etc. as well.

They would probably work fine as non-skid devices in the freezer. Since pretty much anything you freeze is wrapped, the quality of the silicone wouldn't matter so much.

[Darienne]

Here goes my last attempt.

Here's a photo of two of the sheets, one right side up, one upside down. That's DH's hand holding the up side down sheet, showing how pliable the sheet is. He was using a fair amount of pressure to create this response. You can see the rigid frame.

The young woman at the cash is fascinated by the problem and wants to know what happens to the sheets. Yes, I bought them at 50% off. She found them online starting at 'rubber baking sheet' and they are noted as 'silicone'. She said that they had a bunch of them and that these were the last two left.

One thing for sure, they are immoveable and Kerry's idea of using them to keep some item still would certainly work. I was showing the young woman how immoveable they were and actually wiggled the counter accidentally while showing her.

No identification at all. 11"x15". End of story.