Baking enthusiasts, dessert connoisseurs, and professional bakers swear by high-quality silicone baking mats. Silicone mats have replaced parchment paper and foils. Silicone baking mats are highly effective for baking, cooking, and roasting food items. You can bake cookies, roast chicken, and cook various dishes with silicone baking mats.
In this article, we discuss what silicone mats are, how to use silicone baking mats, what a silicone baking mat is used for, the process of cleaning baking mats, the difference between silicone baking mats and parchment paper, the limitations of baking mats, and a list of essential baking equipment.
What Are Silicone Baking Mats?
Silicone baking mats are primarily baking sheets that are made from silicone. Silicone baking mats are mostly webbed with fiberglass strands. Silicone baking mats are flexible and bendable; you can use them to cover sheet pans.
Baking mats are the perfect replacement for parchment paper and aluminum foil used in baking. Silicone baking mats are placed on a sheet tray, and cookies, pastries, and other essential things are baked on top.
How To Use Silicone Baking Mats
You can use silicone baking mats for baking cookies, kneading dough, and preparing cake. Use silicone mats as paper liners, and lay the mat on a cookie sheet to make cookies. You can prevent the cookie dough from sticking by using non-stick spray before laying down the cookies. Additionally, you can place the silicone mat on the surface where you plan to knead the dough. With this process, you can save precious flour and prevent the countertop from getting dirty.
Why Use Silicone Baking Mats?
Baking on silicone mats is highly convenient. Silicone baking mats prevent the bottom of cookies and pastries from burning. Cookies and pastries are placed on the silicone baking mat, which acts as an effective barrier for the heat from the sheet pan. You can safely bake cookies in the oven with silicone baking mats. Additionally, you can knead the dough on silicone baking mats and prevent sticky issues.
What A Baking Mat Is Used for and Its Benefits
Silicone baking mats are perfect for various baking tasks. Here is a list of essential things you can do with silicone baking mats:
Knead Dough: You can use a silicone baking mat on a countertop and knead dough easily.
All-purpose Cooking: You can use them on a tray to heat up food in an oven. Silicone mats can be used for baking fish and while roasting chicken. You can use silicone mats for cooking, roasting, and baking savory and sweet foods alike.
Non-stick: You can use baking mats below cake batter to prevent it from sticking.
Great Replacement: You can also use silicone baking mats to replace parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Economical: You can save money with silicone baking mats. These mats are reusable, and you can use them thousands of times. Silicone mats are an excellent replacement for foil and parchment paper.
Easy to Clean: You can keep baking pans nice and tidy with baking mats. You can clean silicone mats in seconds. The non-stick surface of baking mats helps in the cleaning process. You can rinse the mats quickly with water and soap. Additionally, you can place silicone mats in a dishwasher for a hassle-free cleaning process. You can place silicone mats on sheet trays while baking, and the sheet tray will be clean underneath the mat. Silicone mats hasten the overall cleaning process and help save time.
How To Clean Silicone Baking Mats
- Soap And Water: You can clean silicone bakery mats with water and soap. Wipe the silicone mat clean and let it air dry. Ideally, you can lay it on a flat surface.
- Lemon Juice: You can soak baking mats in hot water with lemon juice for 15 minutes. Then, you can scrub the mat with a sponge and dry it on a drying rack.
- Baking Soda: Sprinkle baking soda on a silicone mat. Then, you can rub the baking soda and water to make a paste. Let the paste rest on tough stains for 15 to 20 minutes and rinse clean with hot water.
- Hot Water And Grease-Fighting Dish Soap: You can soak mats in hot water and use grease-fighting dish soap. You can scrub the baking mat with a sponge and remove tough stains.
Key Differences Between Baking Mat Vs. Parchment Paper
Instead of parchment paper, you can use a baking mat for various baking needs. Baking mats are more durable than regular parchment paper. Baking mats can be used multiple times, while parchment paper can only be used once or twice. Baking mats are ideal for flat surfaces, and parchment paper can be molded to fit in loaf pans. Baking mats are also eco-friendly, and you can use them multiple times.
Are Baking Mats Safe?
Silicone mats for the kitchen are perfectly safe for baking. You can bake cakes, cookies, and other baked items to 428 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, you can safely place silicone baking mats inside commercial refrigerators and freezers. Some silicone baking mats come with additional fillers in silicone molds and mats. Silicone fillers are harmful when heated or cooled. When silicon baking mats with fillers are placed in hot and cold temperatures, they emit harmful toxins. You can check the quality of silicone mats while baking; if you observe a persistent burning smell, then the silicone mats have fillers in them.
Limitations of Silicone Baking Mats
There are some minor disadvantages of silicone baking mats, like you cannot place sharp objects on silicone baking mats. Silicone mats pierce easily and can thus be permanently damaged. They are costlier than regular parchment paper and aluminum foil, but they are perfect for long-term investment. Silicone mats will give you dividends in the long term; you can save thousands of dollars annually.
The Complete List of Commercial Kitchen Equipment Needed For Bakeries
Successful bakery businesses need high-quality baking equipment. A bakery equipment list consists of bakery ovens, bakery refrigerators, bakery mixers, bakery food preparation equipment, bakery tables and racks, bakery storage equipment, and bakery sinks. You will also need bakery packaging equipment, bakeware, front-of-the-house bakery equipment, serving equipment, and cooking equipment.
Silicone baking mats are essential for bakeries, cafes, and dessert places. These mats are convenient, versatile, and easy to clean. They are an excellent investment for the long term. You can use reusable silicone baking mats thousands of times. Additionally, silicone baking mats are perfect for roasting chicken and baking fish.
