If you have ever wondered about all tips on the way to master baking with silicone molds, here is a guide. So make a cup of coffee and read it on.
Nobody can resist purchasing a naturally non-stick, lightweight, colorful, heat and cold resistant, and inexpensive silicone bakeware.
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Made with 100% food-grade silicone, FDA (The United States Food and Drug Administration) approved, and BPA (Bisphenol A) free, it is safe to use.
Interestingly, silicone molds are not only used to bake desserts but also to cook and store your dinner.
The molds come up in different forms, ensure easy release and perfect cooking, and are effortless to handle and clean.
And it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or experienced baker: a lot of people love silicone bakeware.
French chef Guy Demarle is an excellent example of a silicone mold lover. In the 1960s, he merged food-grade silicone and glass threads to create his innovative material FLEXIPAN®.
His online store offers a large selection of professional quality silicone molds, which is impressive.
So, equip yourself with a couple of new silicone molds, read all the tips on using them, and bake.
The more you bake in silicone molds, the more you fall in love with them. It is guaranteed!
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When you decide to buy a silicone mold, the most common question is if it is safe.
First and foremost, make sure that the product is labeled as FDA approved, BPA free, and is made of 100% food-grade silicone. Try to avoid cheap bakeware that may contain fillers or coatings.
All that means that if you invest in high-quality silicone molds, they are safe to use.
You can buy your favorite mold in your local grocery store, home goods stores, or online stores. The latter carries the most significant variety to choose from.
While reading about silicone molds, please don’t get confused with the material like silicon (the spelling without the added “e”). It is wildly used to produce such things as computer chips.
So, you will be looking for silicone bakeware and not silicon molds.
Food grade silicone is a unique material that combines silicone polymers with a catalyst (either platinum or peroxide).
These catalysts are essential because they are the ones that guarantee the mold’s ability to prevent the particles from migrating toward the food.
But if the platinum silicone remains inert up to 392-572 degrees F or 250-300 degrees C, the “peroxide” silicone (cheaper) allows particles to migrate towards the food from 320 degrees F or 160 degrees C.
So, for total food safety, it is strongly recommended only buy silicone molds clearly labeled “platinum silicone.”
What is important to know is that professional-quality silicone products pass the pinch test.
What is it? It ensures that you invest in good silicone material, also known as pure silicone. You should pinch the silicone and twist it a little bit. Pay attention to the silicone color: if it stays the same, it is a 100% silicone pan.
If the color changes to white, it is likely mixed with other fillers. You don’t want to buy such bakeware. Remember: quality is crucial.
What and how many types of silicone molds should you buy?
Silicone pans come in different shapes, sizes, and bright colors, so you might consider buying more molds than you eventually need.
It happens the same with cookie cutters. “I can never have enough cookie cutters,” you think.
You just can’t help yourself, and before you know it, your kitchen is cluttered with cookie cutters.
But let’s do smart shopping. Among the many silicone molds you can buy, first invest in silicone muffin cups.
Decorative silicone molds, for example, heart-shaped and animal-shaped, can be a cute addition to your home, but you will only use them once a year for Valentine’s Day or birthdays.
If you have a passion for creating perfect little treats, it is worth investing in small silicone molds.
They are less expensive than large molds and the most versatile while baking.
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You can easily transport them, so they are always at hand when you need a treat on the go.
Plus, muffins, cupcakes, and small cakes are the perfect way to serve your delicious desserts at family and friends’ gatherings, baby showers, and birthday parties.
Individually served desserts are easy on the stomach but still make a great impression.
Minimalism is the key when it comes to kitchen equipment. You should find balance in numbers and types of molds to continue making yummy treats without running out.
So, make sure to have a minimal variety of silicone baking molds.
A set of 3-piece silicone bakeware is a good start. It includes essential round cake mold, square cake mold, and bread loaf pan. All of them have steel handles for easy and study handling.
Over time, you might fall in love with silicone bakeware and decide to invest in 41-piece silicone bakeware. It is probably the most versatile silicone set around worth buying.
These are the best times to get creative with your baking. You can use all that extra cake batter to make a few muffins or make, for example, mini muffins out of the banana bread dough.
So stock up on different types of molds because you will indeed find yourself using them more often.
When you purchase a new silicone mold, there is one small step that needs to be taken before using them for the very first time.
Some molds smell of plastic once bought, but the smell can be easily removed.
So before the first use, wash the mold with soap or dishwashing liquid well, rinse thoroughly and let it dry. Don’t use a kitchen towel to prevent the deposit of fabric particles.
Then heat the empty mold for one hour in the oven at 392°F or 200°C. Now your new mold is ready to use.
Many recipes can be baked in a silicone mold, but baking a large cake could be challenging.
So, use a stainless steel mold to make large or tall cakes, especially those made with butter, that require longer baking time.
Do you grease silicone pans? It is another common question from my readers. The answer is that it depends on the quality of your silicone mold.
Let’s say that with a “cheap” non-stick material of the silicone mold, you may find that it is better to butter and flour your mold or spray it with a cooking spray. It reduces the chances of breaking your baked goods when unmolding.
In the case of large molds, it is highly recommended to grease or butter and flour them. It ensures easy release and avoids cracking when you remove your preparation from the mold.
In terms of washing your mold afterward, it is also worth greasing the pan. Easy release and easy clean-up are what benefit the greasing.
But if you use silicone molds of high silicone quality, for example, those composed of food-grade silicone and glass threads, forget the terms “butter and flour.” These molds ensure incomparable release.
Can you put silicone in the oven? Are silicone molds oven-safe?
In general, silicone molds are very heat-resistant and withstand both very high and very low temperatures.
They are capable of withstanding the cold of the freezer, the fridge, and the heat of the microwave oven and the traditional oven.
The next question is the following: What temperature can a silicone mold withstand?
The answer is it depends on the silicone mold you have chosen.
The temperature limits of the silicone baking molds range from -94 to 572 degrees F or -70 to +300 degrees C.
For example, FLEXIPAN® molds by Guy Demarle withstand 500 to 536 degrees F or +260 to +280 degrees C.
DeBuyer’s Elastomould cake molds made of silicone mousse resist temperatures up to 572 degrees F or 300 degrees C.
Still, you should check every piece of silicone cookware while shopping. Please, read the description of the silicone items carefully.
Table of the different temperature ranges of silicone molds in Fahrenheit
Table of the different temperature ranges of silicone molds in Celsius
You might be wondering if you can place your silicone mold right on the oven rack. The answer is yes.
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For example, to get the perfect madeleines, you will need to bring a silicone pan to the middle rack (not the oven tray) of a well-heated oven. This ensures that the madeleine hump develops properly.
When baking, it is essential to place an aluminum foil trap underneath the rack if you want any chance of preventing spillage.
The baking time varies depending on the mold you use.
When baking in silicone molds, you will need to lower the temperature by 18°F or 10°C compared with your recipe and lengthen the cooking time a little (unlike classic metal bakeware).
For example, if it says that the recommended temperature to bake Spanish muffins is 420 degrees F or 210 degrees C, then try using 400 degrees F or 200 degrees C for a silicone type of pan.
Demolding silicone molds is easy and quick when you use the right technique.
In general, the unmolding should be done immediately when the mold comes out of the oven.
However, some delicate preparations, such as sponge cake, dacquoise, madeleines, or even muffins, require at least 10 minutes of rest before being unmolded.
A little but important tip: when you take your preparation out of the oven, never let it cool on the stove; the bottom could hang under the influence of heat.
To release small cakes, muffins, or cupcakes from the silicone cupcake cups, all you have to do is press gently on the bottom of them.
To unmold a larger cake, turn the mold upside down on a plate. Then gently pull the mold’s edges apart while applying light pressure to its base and pull the mold away.
When removing your preparation, it is important that you don’t overstretch the mold or risk tearing it on its surface. This will negatively affect the quality as well as the lifespan of your mold.
Once unmolded, clean your mold immediately.
You want your silicone molds to last as long and be in peak condition for use, but they need some everyday maintenance.
The most efficient way of doing this is by soaking them in hot soapy water immediately after baking.
Clean your molds with a hand. Avoid using a scraping sponge to prevent micro-scratches.
Rinse them thoroughly with clean running water and let them dry. Don’t wipe them with a towel to avoid the deposit of fabric particles.
Can you use a dishwasher to clean all the silicone molds? It depends upon the quality of the silicone. Read the manufacturer’s instructions to see if it is dishwasher safe.
To learn how to remove burn marks, stains, and fat residue from silicone, read a post devoted to this topic.
One great benefit of using silicone bakeware is to save space in the kitchen.
They stack easily and take up a little space. Just imagine how much space it takes to store silicone baking cups, no more than an espresso coffee cup.
But don’t stack differently-shaped molds in a pile. It will cause them to bend and buckle.
Store your bakeware in a dry place at room temperature. Please avoid excessive heat and UV light that dry out the silicone.
If washed and appropriately stored, silicone molds can last long, for a few years. It takes usually between 2000 to 3000 uses, depending on the product, to wear the mold.
But how to use silicone baking molds?
They are great for making desserts as well as savory dishes. In addition, they can be used to reheat the meals or freeze leftovers.
Once you find that your silicone pan has lost its shape, you can give this mold a second life.
Just use it in place of a traditional storage container or a snack tray.
As you can see, baking in silicone molds is a safe, convenient, and cheap alternative to metal molds.
They are for everyone, from a beginner baker to famous pastry chefs. The whole baking world is amazed by silicone utensils.
And if you want to start baking, invest in a couple of silicone baking molds, and give it a try: these cute little guys might just convert your non-bakers.
I hope that this article answers all the questions about how to bake with silicone molds.
With the secrets of silicone molds revealed, it is time to crack open your favorite mold! And why not make the best blueberry muffins or pistachio cupcakes?
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Recipe
This post was last modified on 20/10/2023 08:27
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