Emilie Meyer
The type of pan you use for baking can significantly impact the outcome of your baked goods. Different materials have different heat conduction properties, which can affect baking times and the quality of your bakes. For example, glass and ceramic pans are insulators, which means they take longer to heat up and may cause the edges of your bake to harden before the centre is cooked. On the other hand, aluminium is a great heat conductor, making it a popular choice for baking pans, but it is a reactive metal that may leach into foods with a low or high pH. The shape and colour of your pan can also affect your bakes, with dark pans cooking faster than silver pans and tube pans helping light and airy cakes rise. Non-stick coatings can make baking easier, but they require extra care to maintain, and some bakes, like angel food cake, require the cake to stick to the sides of the pan. Ultimately, the type of pan you use matters, and investing in quality bakeware can help you achieve better baking results.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Aluminium, cast iron, ceramic, glass, silicone, stainless steel, stoneware, tin-plated steel, non-stick |
| Shape | Round, square, loaf, tube, Bundt, Pullman, scone, popover, crêpe |
| Size | 4", 8", 9", 10", 13" |
| Colour | Dark, light |
| Coating | Non-stick, DuraShield, AMERICOAT ePlus, PTFE, Exoglass |
| Weight | Heavy, light |
| Cost | High, low |
| Maintenance | Easy, difficult |
| Heat conduction | Good, poor |
| Heat retention | High, low |
| Reactivity | Reactive, non-reactive |
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What You'll Learn
- Glass pans are slower to transfer heat but retain heat for longer
- Ceramic pans are non-reactive and harder to scratch than metal
- Aluminium pans are great heat conductors but can react with food
- Silicone pans are good for sweet baked goods but not for browning
- Non-stick coatings reduce the need for oils and fats
Glass pans are slower to transfer heat but retain heat for longer
The type of pan you use for baking can significantly impact the outcome of your bakes. Glass pans, for instance, are slower to transfer heat but retain heat for longer. This can cause the edges and bottoms of baked goods to become hard and overdone by the time the centre cooks through.
Glass pans are insulators, meaning they are poor conductors of heat and are therefore slower to transfer heat to the food. This means that recipes often take longer to bake in glass pans. However, once hot, glass pans retain this heat for longer. This makes them a popular choice for casseroles, as the dish can go straight from the oven to the table, keeping the food warm for longer.
Glass pans are also harder to scratch than metal pans, which is useful for dishes that are typically cut in the pan, such as casseroles and lasagne. They also allow you to monitor the colour of the crust as it bakes. However, if you are baking something that requires a quick, steady heat to rise correctly, such as a cake, glass pans are not ideal.
When using a glass pan, it is recommended that you reduce your oven's temperature by 25°F to compensate for the higher heat retention of the glass.
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Ceramic pans are non-reactive and harder to scratch than metal
The type of pan you use for baking does matter. Different materials conduct heat differently, which can affect baking times and results. For example, aluminium is a great heat conductor, making it a popular choice for baking as it allows for even baking. However, aluminium is reactive and can leach into foods with a low or high pH, such as a blueberry rhubarb crisp. In such cases, a ceramic dish or another non-reactive material is preferable.
Ceramic pans are non-reactive, making them an excellent choice for recipes with acidic ingredients. Unlike metal pans, ceramic cookware does not interact with acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, or vinegar. This prevents any unwanted metallic taste and allows your dishes to retain their true flavours. Ceramic pans are also non-toxic and do not leach harmful chemicals or metals like nickel and chromium, which can be released from stainless steel pans. Therefore, ceramic pans are a safer and healthier option for those concerned about metal contamination in their diet.
Another advantage of ceramic pans is their non-stick surface, which makes cooking and cleaning easier. However, this non-stick surface can be delicate and prone to scratches and chips, especially when used with metal utensils. Using wooden, silicone, or plastic utensils is recommended to avoid scratching or damaging the non-stick surface. Proper care and handling of ceramic pans are crucial to extending their lifespan.
While ceramic pans may be less durable than traditional non-stick cookware, their non-reactive and non-toxic properties make them a safer and healthier alternative. Ceramic pans are an ideal choice for health-conscious home cooks who want to avoid the potential health risks associated with traditional non-stick coatings filled with toxic chemicals. Additionally, the slick surface of ceramic pans provides a more efficient non-stick performance compared to traditional non-stick options.
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Aluminium pans are great heat conductors but can react with food
Aluminium pans are a popular choice for baking due to their excellent heat conductivity. Aluminium is a metal that efficiently absorbs and transfers heat to baked goods, ensuring even cooking. This is especially important for cakes, which require quick and steady heat to rise correctly.
However, one drawback of aluminium pans is their reactivity with certain foods. Aluminium is a reactive metal, and when exposed to acidic or basic foods with low or high pH levels, it can react and leach into the food. This reaction can alter the food's flavour, colour, and texture, leaving undesirable marks or discolouration. For example, baking a blueberry rhubarb crisp in an aluminium pan could result in the pan reacting with the ingredients, leaving black marks on the pan and potentially affecting the taste of the dish.
To prevent this issue, it is recommended to use non-reactive bakeware, such as ceramic or glass dishes, when preparing recipes with highly acidic or basic ingredients. These materials won't react with the food, ensuring that the flavour and appearance of your dish remain intact.
Additionally, the quality of aluminium pans is crucial. Poor-quality aluminium pans may have uneven metal sheets, leading to hotspots where the cake browns more in certain spots. Investing in top-quality aluminium pans with a thick, even sheet of metal will ensure even heat distribution and help you achieve consistent baking results.
While aluminium pans offer excellent heat conduction, the reactivity of the metal is a consideration when choosing bakeware. By understanding the characteristics of different materials, bakers can make informed decisions and select the most suitable pan for their specific needs, ensuring delicious and visually appealing results.
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Silicone pans are good for sweet baked goods but not for browning
The type of pan used for baking does matter. Different materials have different heat conduction properties, which can affect the baking time and the final product.
Silicone pans are not ideal for browning due to their poor heat conduction. Baked goods with low sugar or fat content, such as hearth breads, may not brown well in silicone pans. The sugar in sweet baked goods helps them brown, but even then, silicone pans may not produce the same browning effect as metal pans.
Metal pans, on the other hand, are excellent heat conductors, making them ideal for browning. Light-colored or shiny metal bakeware is best for even browning, while darker-colored metals can cause over-browning. Aluminum, a popular choice for bakeware, is a great heat conductor, but it is reactive and can leach into foods with low or high pH levels. Stainless steel, another option, is an iron alloy with good heat conduction properties.
Glass pans are also an option, but they are slow to transfer heat and can cause the edges and bottoms of baked goods to harden before the centers are cooked. Ceramic pans are similar to glass in their heat conduction properties and can cause over-browning in sweet dishes.
In summary, silicone pans are convenient for their non-stick and flexible properties, but they may not be the best choice for browning. Metal pans are superior for browning and are suitable for a variety of baked goods, especially those that require precise temperature control. Glass and ceramic pans have their advantages but may not produce the desired browning effect.
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Non-stick coatings reduce the need for oils and fats
Non-stick coatings and glazes are designed to reduce the ability of foods to stick to the surface of your baking pans. This makes cooking and cleaning easier, and it also reduces the need for oils and fats in your recipes.
Non-stick coatings such as PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene) offer a durable, heat-resistant finish and are nearly chemically inert. DuraShield, a proprietary coating from Chicago Metallic, is another example of a non-stick coating that is also certified free of potentially harmful PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid).
Non-stick coatings can be used in conjunction with oils or fats to further enhance the non-stick properties of the pan. However, it is important to note that even with non-stick coatings, some recipes may still require the use of oils or fats for flavour, moisture, or other functional purposes.
Another benefit of non-stick coatings is that they can prolong the life of your baking pans. By reducing the amount of food residue that sticks to the surface, non-stick coatings can make cleaning easier and help maintain the pan's appearance and performance over time.
When using non-stick pans, it is important to follow certain care instructions to maintain their effectiveness. For example, it is recommended to avoid using metal utensils that can scratch the non-stick surface. Additionally, some non-stick coatings may have specific temperature thresholds, so it is important to refer to the manufacturer's instructions for proper care and usage guidelines.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the type of pan you use can affect baking time and how your food cooks. Different materials conduct heat differently, so some pans may be better suited for certain recipes.
Aluminium is a popular choice for baking cakes as it is a good heat conductor. A round cake pan is a classic, and most cake pans are made from light-coloured aluminium. Tube pans are also a good option for light and airy cakes like angel food and chiffon cakes.
Metal pie pans are great for baking pies as they help to brown the bottom crust. Glass pie plates are slower to transfer heat, so pies may take longer to brown on the bottom.
For quick loaves, you can use stoneware, glass, or ceramic pans as the quick transfer of heat from metal pans is not as essential. For hearth breads, a silicone pan is not recommended as these breads are low in sugar or fat and may not brown well.
Dark non-stick pans are not recommended as they can cause food to cook faster and burn. Insulated pans are also not ideal as they are poor heat conductors and can cause food to dry out.
