Silicone is used in baking pans and cooking utensils because of its non-stick properties. For example, silicone spatulas are used to stir and transfer sauces and custards into bowls. In contrast, silicone muffin pans come handy in baking and other cooking-related activities in the following ways.
Assist in Baking
A silicone muffin pan is a very versatile addition to your bakeware collection. It is primarily for baking plate-sized savory and sweet pastries. The most helpful feature is that silicone does not warm up certain doughs and flours as metal pans. Thus, the feature does not burn when you are baking delicate French and Britishpastries. It is also a beneficial tool to deliver a rising golden top layer of bread doughs.
The silicone muffin pans are very easy to use too. There is no need to scrap the molds to release your baking project. Scraping compromises the integrity and composition of a baking project. Some scraping action ruins the baking surface and makes it uneven. It might also make it difficult to stack layers as they might collapse internally.
Cooking preparation
Using non-silicone pans may result in bakers using tiers to support their projects. Tiering is a complicated process for professional bakers, let alone domestic cooking enthusiasts. It also makes icing the project a lot more difficult. It may result in uneven iced layers, which is not the aim of any baker. The entire situation can be avoided by learning how to use a silicone muffin pan.
Silicone pans also make it easier for baked goods to pop out of them. They do not stick to the surface at all. All you need to do is push from the bottom of the pan, and goodies will pop right out.
Aerosol cooking spray will make your baking life a lot easier. It will maintain the structure of your baby cheesecakes, muffins, or minute donuts that you intend to bake today. You can also grease the pans using room temperature butter or vegetable oil to achieve the same results. However, never grease the pans with olive or extra virgin olive oil. It’s because olive oils have a lower boiling point and cannot sustain heat. As a result, your muffins or whatever you decide to bake in the silicone pans will turn out very bitter.
Mise en place
Silicone muffin pans are a great tool to store mise en place before cooking. The French term consists of collecting all the necessary herbs and spices required before you start cooking. When you begin gathering spices, at the same time your pans are on the stove, the oil may overheat, or your custard may start to curdle. Therefore, it is crucial to divide the spices and seasonings you intend to use. These include cyan pepper, cumin powder, freshly chopped herbs, kosher salt, and pepper into the muffin pans into silicone muffin pans.
How to use a Silicone Muffin pan?
Well, the Silicone muffin pans have been designed in a way where they help release the muffins once they are fully baked. But as they are flexible and soft in texture, make sure you follow some precautionary measures for baking them successfully. Check the steps below to see how you can use Silicone Muffin Pan:
- First of all, you have to wash and then dry your silicone Muffin pan before you start using it.
- Now you have to place the silicone muffin pan over a durable cookie sheet. You will find it a lot easier in terms of handling inside the oven.
- Coat up the inside of the muffin pan with the help of a non-stick cooking spray, or you can even wipe it down with the butter.
- Now you have to locate the muffin cups following the recipe directions.
- Now bake till the time you feel that the muffins are not completely cooked as per your recipe.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and then transfer the whole silicone pan on the hot pads or the wire rack to get it cooled down.
- Allow it to cool down for a maximum of 20 minutes. This makes the muffin texture to be soft and smooth enough with which it can easily pop out.
- Soap your silicone in some study and hot water, and then wash it away.
The Pros and Cons of Baking with Silicone
Now without wasting any time, let’s talk about a few basic pros and cons of baking with silicone:
Pros:
- You will find them non-sticky, and they are not requiring any sort of greasing or oil spray.
- They are 100% dishwasher safe and can easily be cleaned up without any hard soaking or scrubbing.
- You can use them in the microwave, and they are equally safe in the freeze or the fridge.
- Plus, they are perfect to do the even heating so that the food item can be baked very easily.
- You will find them easy to store and lightweight.
- They can heat up very fast. No rust or stains will happen.
- Reasonable investment.
Cons
- You want them to be stable enough, which can cause them to twist or bend very easily, causing spills.
- They are not safe enough at the high heating temperature.
- Although they are a lot non-sticky, sometimes it becomes uneasy to take out some of the items.
- Cannot use it near the hot flame.
Tips for Successful Baking
Below we will be discussing a few of the important tips which you need to follow for a successful baking experience. Have a look:
- You can do the baking only if your oven has been preheated at the right temperature. You can ensure the accuracy of the temperature with the help of an oven thermometer.
- If you are baking or even browning into a conventional oven, you should place the racks in the center.
- To gain better results, you should place the eggs, butter, and liquid ingredients at room temperature. This is mandatory when you are preparing cookies, cakes, or quick bread.
- Make sure that the measuring spoons and cups are fully level off to get an exact recipe by your side.
- It might sound a bit crazy, but you should add a small pinch of salt to all your recipes to bring some taste to them.
- If any of your baking recipes require too many eggs, make sure you add one egg at one time only.
The final thought
How to use a silicone muffin pan is not a complicated process. There are diversified tools that are used in baking and cooking preparation. Silicone muffin pans are necessary to bake delicious self-rising muffins and pastries that will make you talk of the town in your social circle.