Baking with Silicone????

[Tanasi]

Santa brought me some silicone bakeware for Christmas. So for New Years day I decided to use the muffin (12 part) pan (for lack of a better word). I had already washed them in warm soapy water and dried them. Well I made my cornbread as normal and poured the batter into the silicone muffin pan and said pan was on an aluminum baking sheet for support. Into preheated oven at 425 for about 15 minutes. I let them cool for about 30 minutes. Well the muffins stuck to the silicone and I had a heck of a time getting them out and only a few came out whole.

So my question is: What did I do wrong?

[Kitchen Witch]

There's a chance that you let them sit too long in the pan to cool - would they have popped right out straight from the oven? Or maybe wait 5 minutes?? I just bought some silicone bakeware - so far all I've done is look at it - I'm so used to my other bakeware. One of these days I should use it. I was going to when I made cupcakes and I just used the regular tin out of habit I guess.

[cookinme]

I have used my sicicon bakeware several times and have never had a problem. I don't let things cool competely though....that may have caused the problem. Try just letting them sit for a few minutes and see if that helps!

[Tanasi]

Just checking back in and thought I'd post the following:

Aparently you have to coat the silicone bakeware with a release agent (baker's secret, pam, etc.) for the baked goods to release. My thoughts boiled down to: I was already spraying my old bakewear, I thought the whole idea of silicone was it was non-stick.
Other than a couple of silpats I shall rethink the "benefits" of silicone.

[Kitchen Witch]

Isn't it amazing! You buy silicone bakeware NOT to spray and you have to spray anyway! I personally dread using sprays - I don't like what is in some of them. I'll stick to my old muffin tins and paper liners. Thanks for the update!

[Southern Belle 2067]

Originally Posted by Tanasi

Santa brought me some silicone bakeware for Christmas. So for New Years day I decided to use the muffin (12 part) pan (for lack of a better word). I had already washed them in warm soapy water and dried them. Well I made my cornbread as normal and poured the batter into the silicone muffin pan and said pan was on an aluminum baking sheet for support. Into preheated oven at 425 for about 15 minutes. I let them cool for about 30 minutes. Well the muffins stuck to the silicone and I had a heck of a time getting them out and only a few came out whole.

So my question is: What did I do wrong?

Hi this is Southern Belle 2067,

I have used the silicone bake ware I just don't let the food sit in them to long maybe 5 minutes before I dump the muffins out or the bread or whatever I have had great success with it. You still have to use a cookie sheet to support the pan and I have to coat them with a release agent but I still prefer my old muffin tins and the liners. Some how I just don't like the feel of the things and that you have to use a cookie sheet for support. I'll just use my old stand by,s.

I also don't like what is the cooking sprays either and don't like the idea or using a cooking spray either for silicone bake ware it is suppose to be non-stick, but isn't.

[bluejeanz]

Oh, gosh, I just posted a new thread about silicone bakeware, not seeing this one.

I've bought so much of it this past year. I love the stuff. Sure you may have to lightly spray a release agent depending on what you're baking but what I love about it is that it's truly non-stick, easy to clean and easy to store (you can roll the stuff up to conserve space).

Where before I'd have to grease a loaf pan and put "insurance" down (a piece of waxed or parchment paper) so it wouldn't stick to the bottom of the pan, I think the silicone gives me a better baked product in that it browns well, gives you a firm crisp loaf and pops right out of the pan without pieces sticking to the pan. In fact, when I make beer bread, it comes out with a much better browned crust than in a metal pan. And it's perfectly shaped.

I recently bought something called "bake sheets". It's a large (half sheet pan sized) sheet that has a metal frame around the edge so you can get it in and out of the oven easily. There's also a small lip around the edge so there's no spillage. These are also great to use when making candies like toffee or peanut brittle. They peel right off. I know you can use the silicone baking sheets (Silpats) in a regular metal baking sheet but the bake sheets have many uses.

I guess using the stuff takes some getting used to.

[Jcas]

Thanks for your views, i have just brought some too, but haven't used it yet as i come from th eold school where a cake tin is a hard solid object, takes a bit of getting used to the different ones ....

[nedrathomason]

Instead of a spray such as Pam, I usually use the preferred oil for the type of cooking and spread it with a pastry brush. I don't see why this won't work with the silicone.