# Silicone is everywhere!



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I saw these silicone cupcake muffin liners today at a store. They tempted the recycler in me to keep paper out of the waste stream. And I can see them releasing a whole lot better too. My main use for the liners is for the Black Bottom cupcakes from the Joy of cooking and they don't always release well.

The Silicone Zone[isnew]=Yes&tpl=new Scroll down a bit, you'll see them.

The other silicone item that made me think for a minute was a narrow loaf pan. It was a good size for a terrine pan.

This silicone stuff is getting more interesting all the time. I have some 9" round pans i like a lot as well as some baking liners. I've even cooked a savory cheesecake in the round pans and it released well.

Phil


----------



## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

Silicone is nice, but I do miss the crispiness you get from metal. For some applications, I prefer the old fashioned way.


----------



## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I agree with Anneke. They'd be okay for cupcakes but for cakes I prefer metal or glass. For molding things, like your terrine, it's wonderful.


----------



## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

It's great for canapes here's a whole range of mini's and although they dont release 100% they are pretty good


----------



## jdh (Oct 21, 2007)

I love silicone spatulas. 

But I can't really say I'm much of a baker, so that's all I have to contribute to this conversation.


----------



## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

I've been rather disappointed with the results of using silicone bakeware. You must grease and flour the pans just as with any other and the surfaces don't brown all that well leaving kind of a gummy film on the edges of cakes and cupcakes. 
Storage is also an issue because they don't fit into each other at all to store efficiently and if they get stored in a bent position, they wind up being out of shape the next time you want to use them.

Silpats are the exception, I suppose, but still, I don't use them for cookies because the bottoms don't brown as nicely as with parchment paper.

I like my metal pans, predictable, efficient and useful.


----------



## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

FWIW, I have raised this issue on several forums, because the idea is very appealing, and I've been attracted to the stuff since it first started appearing. 

The consensus is that silicone bakeware is something that works better in the conception than in reality. The vast majority of people who have used it are unhappy with it. 

There's a long list of objections to it, all of which overwhelm the few benefits. So I, for one, have foregone purchasing any.


----------



## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

I'm so glad this conversation was started. I've been seeing silicone in almost every store I walk into......dollar stores, Chef's Outlet, Kitchen Outlet store, and others. All different brands, prices, and quality, I'm sure. I've been really tempted to buy it but since I already have the metal equivalents, I think I'll stick with those for now after reading your thoughts. 

Thanks!


----------



## jonowee (Mar 16, 2007)

I still prefer aluminium from thick sheets for baking to very sleek cast-aluminium roasting pans.

The only silicone baking products I like are the heavy duty baking mats we use at TAFE (cooking school) as a liner for our aluminium baking sheets, not sure what brand... I'm thinking Silpat (Sand colour with an orange rim).
And we only use them for just bread; cakes, biscuits and tarts still get the butter/flour treatment with or without the baking paper. And our chef gets pretty plssed off (for good reason) when some students leave them folded in anyway.

We have a few pieces of silicone bakeware at home but I've never used them before myself, my other family members do but I always feel something weird about them.
But that's because I'm a breadboy and I really suck at cakes, pastries and confectionary.


----------



## mannlicher (Jan 8, 2006)

As I mentioned in another thread, the makers of Silpat, Demarle, also have a line of silicon/glass molds and pans that do brown, do not require any flour or grease, and release perfectly every time.
I have used several different brands, KitchenAid and others. They don't work. The DeMarle product does.


----------

