Flexible Cooking For Kids
Introduce your children to cooking and baking with flexible cookware. There are specially sets just for kids that include commercial-grade silicone bakeware in bright colors. Included in a typical set is a wooden rolling pin, wooden spoon, recipe and instruction booklet, four cookie cutters and four baking molds (such as Christmas tree, Round Cake Pan, etc.). Each of the molds has a non-stick finish and a temperature range that reaches to 428 degrees Fahrenheit. The flexible silicone bakeware causes even browning, quick cooling, and easy removal of your baked goods. Plus, the molds clean easily with a wipe-down or by placing them in the dishwasher.
The Many Uses of Ramekins
Ramekins are standard in the line-up of ceramic bakeware. But they have more uses than just cooking custards and individual casseroles. Their high thermal shock resistance means you can store food in them and move them from freezer to microwave or oven. They're also great for serving side dishes such as coleslaw and even nuts or dips.
To Coat or Not to Coat
Coatings on bakeware are only good for one thing: easier cleaning. Professional bakeware usually is usually shiny and uncoated, but there is also dark-coated bakeware on the market today. The shiny uncoated bakeware helps to reflect heat around your baked goods, which creates light golden browning. Dark, coated bakeware tends to absorb heat in the pan itself, which is why the bottoms of cookies are often blackened while the tops are not even browning. The coating on coated bakeware inevitably wears off, and some can actually release fumes.
Basics of Stainless Steel Bakeware
What are the benefits of stainless steel bakeware? First of all, as the name suggests, stainless steel cleans quite easily. It's reliable, sturdy, and generally not too expensive. Since stainless steel alone is not the best conductor of heat, the steel is sometimes enhanced by bonding it with a layer or two of a more highly conductive metal: copper, aluminum, or tin.
Keeping a Cheesecake From Splitting
Owning top-of-the-line bakeware doesn't mean much if you don't have some useful tips on how to use it. For example, to prevent cheesecake from splitting during the cooking period, butter the sides of the pan. When the cheesecake cools, the cake is then able to release from the pan and let heat escape without splitting. If you are using a crust, only butter an inch up the side of the pan so the cake can release.