Silpat, Parchment Paper, or Foil?

[Shel_B]

For what uses may each of these be best? What are some pros and cons of these items? Silpat is a brand, yes? Are there other brands of silicon pads? Any that may be better than another? Thanks!

... Shel

[weinoo]

Silpat is a brand, yes.

There are a number of other manufacturers of silicon baking mats.

For some reason, I like parchment for baking cookies, but I use the silicon mats for other things occasionally, like roasting vegetables. I'll even put a silicon mat under focaccia, since I tend to bake that at a lower temperature than, say, pizza.

[HungryC]

I don't like cleaning the silpat, so I use parchment for most things.

[lindag]

Agreed. Cleaning the silpats can be a giant PITA. For that reason I mostly use parchment these days.

[weinoo]

I lay the silpat flat in my sink, sprinkle a little BonAmi on it, and use a sponge or dobie. I do both sides like this and then rinse - works pretty well, but I agree that they never feel as if they're clean.

[minas6907]

Agree with the cleaning issue. I use parchment when baking, and silpats only for sugarwork.

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[Darienne]

Cleaning...and then drying...is a nuisance but I use the silicone pads constantly for confection making, roasting vegetables, making dog cookies, flat freezing all sorts of things before bagging them.

I have burnt ones, ruined ones, ruined looking ones, nice and clean ones. And no, they are not actual Silpats.

[Porthos]

My 2 cents: I do almost everything that goes into the oven on 1/2 size baker's sheets (roughly 13 x 18) and only use parchment. I buy it already cut to size on-line. I general pay around $20 US for 200 sheets. That lasts me for about a year and a half. I have bought 2 silicone pads and have never used them. I like using the parchment and then cleaning it is tossing it in the trash.

[OliverB]

I use silpat and other brands for cookies, the only thing I ever bake. Works great, I prefer it over paper. Cleaning isn't that hard, sink with warm water and soap, then a rinse. They don't crinkle and crumble up like paper.
I don't use them for anything else, if I roast something I line my sheet with aluminum in most cases or just use the sort of non stick sheet as is.

I only ever used the paper from the roll in a box, a pain to get flat and fiddle with, the pads are easy. I'd get the precut paper if I'd bake a lot, but it's a once a year thing for xmas and I don't have room to store sheet size paper. If I had or baked more, laziness would probably take over and I'd use the paper all the time. Not for roasting though, I roast veg at 400 degree and the paper gets semi burnt and I don't want that around my food. Foil it is, and nothing leaks underneath that either. They used to sell non stick foil too, not sure that still exists? Could be an other option to explore

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I use silicone mats (mine are a mix of exopats and silmats from silicomart) for cookies, bagels, croissants, buns, and many other applications; I've never roasted veggies on them (I have casseroles for that). I use wax paper for roasting half squashes, bearing in mind that a half-squash for me is about 30 lbs. Silicone mats are a bit of a PITA to clean, but it's a lot more environmentally friendly, and they're a one-time cost outlay. Parchment paper is difficult to source here and expensive when I can find it, which means I am reluctant to buy it and use it.

[lindag]

I wanted to add that I buy my parchment, pre-cut to sheet pan size, from King Arthur Flour. It comes in big rolls and lasts forever. And, they frequently offer it with free shipping.

[Porthos]

. I'd get the precut paper if I'd bake a lot, but it's a once a year thing for xmas and I don't have room to store sheet size paper.

Christmas cookies baking is the number one reason I use parchment. We set up the cooling racks on our dining table and as each sheet of cookies comes out of the oven I slide the parchment with the cookies still on it off of the pan and onto a cooling rack. That makes the "immeadiately remove the cookies from the sheet" instruction very easy to do. Our cookie production is enough to fill 36 tins and two platters - generally about 16-18 different cookies and samples for the us as we go. I probably should state the we own 7 or 8 of the bakers half sheet pans that I mentioned above.

We bake brownies ( four half size hotel pans - using the disposable foil version) and bread puddings( two half size hotel pans - again using the disposable foil version) for each weekend we are participating in either the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire (7 weekends in the spring) or in the Northern California Renaissance Faire (5 weekends in the fall) and always line the foil pans with parchment. If I'm baking a pizza at 400 degrees F it goes on parchment. above 410 F the parchment breaks down and browns. Baking cod fillets - parchment. the list goes on...

We do not store them flat. They are folded over once and kept in a jumbo Hefty brand zipper bag and take up very little space that way.

This is how I do it but I certainly leave room for others to do what they like best.

Cheers

[rotuts]

I use both , more or less as above.

of note there seem to be two types of parchment here: white and brown. the brown is somehow 'organic' or what ever. its a lot slippery than the white.

[Edward J]

_{I use both.}

_{Silicone paper: Lining out cake pans, brownie pans, and loaf pans, for rolling out dough (dough sandwiched inbetween) for cornets, for caramel slabs, and for freezing ready-rolled out and pre-cut dough discs in the freezeer.}

_{Silpat: For cookies, sugar work, nasty sticky stuff like Italian nougat, and marshmallows}

[Shel_B]

This has been on my mind for a short while: When making certain baked goods, like brownies, is it better to line the pan (in this case a Corningware Visions 8x8 dish) with aluminum foil or parchment paper?  Will the results be different?  Should the parchment paper be oiled, as the foil is? 

 

What about when making cookies on an aluminum sheet pan?  In the past, I've used parchment paper, but have not oiled it?

 

And what about when roasting vegetables?  Any clear choice there?

 

Or does it come down to personal preference rather than performance?

[Norm Matthews]

I don't know if there is any difference in results. I suppose there might be but as a rule, I use foil if I want to contain a mess and keep the cooking surface clean and use parchment when I want to bake on a non stick surface. I use parchment to line the bottom of cake pans and for baking dry goods like cookies.  I oil the parchment on both sides for cakes, not for cookies and the like. They make non stick foil but I only bought one box and never got another. 

[Porthos]

I am a serious parchment paper fan. I use 1/2-size foil catering pans for a lot of my baking (just put the last 2 pans in the oven for this week's baking) and always use parchment. I also use baker's half-sheet pans a lot. I buy pre-cut parchment in the baker's half-sheet size 200 sheets at a time. I buy them on-line from The Baking Queen (thebakingqueen.com). You should not have to oil parchment paper. I do spray the pans with Pam just to keep the parchment from skittering around while filling the pans.

 

I use foil for roasting meats and veggies to make cleanup easier.

 

Edited to add: One major advantage of buying pre-cut parchment is that it lays flat. I truly HATE dealing with roll parchment.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Porthos (log)

[weinoo]

I like to use parchment on the bottom and foil on the top.

[Kerry Beal]

Brownies go straight into a sprayed 8" pan - no foil, no parchment.

[weinoo]

Brownies go straight into a sprayed 8" pan - no foil, no parchment.

There's something to be said for that, Kerry.

[rotuts]

I use parchment for my brownies:  I bake them in those 13 x 9 or so 'disposable' aluminum pans ...

 

I re-use those pans.  I make these for the Library, two pans:  one w toasted walnuts on the top, the other plain.  Nuts on the top works as you know your are getting Nuts or not.

 

of course each pan gets a double espresso ( home roast   ), 3 eggs  ( cake-like ) vanilla, and an over flow measure of Rum !

 

I put the parchment in the bottom of the pan, and fold the edges  its a major pain ! so that the parchment comes up a bit on all sides.

 

i make a point of taking these **** jems **** to the lib warm, you know, a bit of aroma therapy.

 

Ive found that I do spray the white parchment a bit w oil spray, its easier to get the Hunks Out

 

why the parchment paper?  the Libs lift ( very carefully ) the brownies out and return the pan to me.

 

at least 30 + bakings / pan.   leave the pan w the Libs ?  some dumb A*ss  cuts down into the pan

 

I have also found in my area there are two types:  the white ( which I think is a brand name item ) and a brown.

 

the brown is you know shee shee organic:  no matter:  it is a lot more slippery.

 

I also use the white parchment to 'over' line my shallow baking trays :  you know, to roast veg etc.

 

makes clean up a bit easier.

 

I have not use AL foil in a long time  have a big roll that's bit of a collector's item.

[Kerry Beal]

Not saying I don't use a shitload of parchment - cause I do.  I buy a box of 1000 full sheet pan and a box of 1000 3/4 sheet pan almost yearly - but never for brownies.

[Shel_B]

Not saying I don't use a shitload of parchment - cause I do.  I buy a box of 1000 full sheet pan and a box of 1000 3/4 sheet pan almost yearly - but never for brownies.

 

Why not for brownies?  Do you have any trouble getting the brownies out of the unlined pan?  Any tips on how to do it?  Thanks!

[Kerry Beal]

No trouble getting them out at all.  I just spray with pan spray and out they come.  

[Porthos]

The brownies (plain and with pecans) and the tea cookies I make have to be cut and plated in a hurry. After the feast goes out on stage we have about 20 minutes to cut as necessary and plate all of the desserts including making up 3 special dessert platters. With parchment, I place a cutting board over the foil pan, invert, peel off the parchment and cut. I have to do this to 3 pans of bar cookies. Without the parchment I don't always get a clean "drop" onto the cutting board after inverting. My DW makes bread puddings using the same type of foil pans and she always uses parchment also.

 

I also use parchment for ALL of the Christmas cookies we bake (enough for 35 tins and 2 platters, 16-20 varieties).