Silicone baking mats: like or dislike?
Welcome to Like or Dislike, where you get to share how you really feel about ingredients from the pantry, ingredients I'm thinking about adding to my pantry, other seasonal foods, and favorite cooking gear. The things you like are sure to find their way to the recipes here on The Perfect Pantry, so do tell.
In the beginning, there were Silpats -- miraculous silicone baking mats that guaranteed no cookie, pastry, or meatloaf would stick to a baking sheet. Now there are many brands, at many price points. Good at temperatures up to 450°F and even higher, the mats last for 1,000 bakings or more, and they're easy to wash. Sound too good to be true? It's true. I have Silpats (and other brands, too) that have baked hundreds of batches of cookies for donation, and are still going strong. Don't use them under the broiler (I did that one time and yes, it caught on fire), but for baking or roasting, I can't say enough good things about them. I have them in several different sizes, to fit all of my sheet pans, and the super-large size mats are great for rolling out dough. Are you a fan of silicone baking mats?
Silicone baking mats: like or dislike?
Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this site when you start your shopping here.
No, I was a big fan of plastics -- look where we are now with that material. I'll stick to stainless steel and glass (when appropriate).
I don't really care for silicone baking mats. I don't have a dishwasher so I prefer to use parchment paper or foil depending on what I'm cooking. Then the whole mess can be thrown away with no cleanup needed.
Great for gluten-free baking because it's either parchment or Silpat
As you know I'm not much of a baker, lol! But I do have some of these and truthfully, as much as I am a fan of the idea in principle, I find myself forgetting I even have them and using non-stick spray or parchment paper instead. So I guess I like them in theory but not really in practice.
i don't have any silpat mats or any other silicon baking molds so i can't say if i like or not, but they do sound very handy and i don't know anyone who doesn't like theirs. i just don't bake that much or often, so i haven't felt the "need" to invest in one; when they first came out, however, i was leery of the thought of using "plastic in the oven," until i read that parchment paper has a thin layer of silicon on it, so i suppose that debate isn't so strong anymore LOL. this week's discussion makes me want to buy one, see for myself if they're as heavenly as my friends say LOL
No. God knows what is in them!
Butter, oil, or parchment - depending on the recipe - is superior.
Am disappointed by silicone baking forms too. Turn out is poor, and cakes in danger of cracking from lack of support.
It depends on what I am baking. If I want something to end up with more of a crisp texture, I find that parchment does a better job. That said, they're a nice tool.
I don't do much baking these days but I still use my oven for roasting, casseroles etc. That's why I have a mat on the bottom of the oven to catch drips, splatters etc. Definitely a good idea.
Thank you for the idea about rolling out dough. I have one and it would be perfect for that purpose. I like my silpat mat, but I don't think I would buy any more sizes.
Truth be told, I've never used them even though I have one. Parchment paper, stainless steel and glass are my go to baking tools.
Love them use them all the time. I bake all of our bakery goods at home, We don't eat store bought bakery at all. We even bake our own doggie treats. So I bought the first two to try. Wife wasn't much of a fan originally, but has grown to appreciate them over past couple years. We now have 5 of them in 3 different sizes. A quick dunk in dish water, rinse and towel dry and your done. We bake a lot so they save us money over the long haul over using parchment paper.
I gotta say I love them - They are FABulous for rolling out dough. Nothing works as well.
I don't like to bake cookies on the Silpat because you get better browning on parchment, but I do love them for lots of other things. Toasting nuts and coconut in the oven and you can just pick up the Silpat and slide the nuts in to a bowl or bag. Anything cheesy - makes cleanup so much easier. I even like to knead bread dough on it so you don't have to add so much flour.
I have two, which fit a sheet pan, and I do like them, but sometimes, I still use parchment paper. It depends what I'm making. Like you, I think they're great for rolling out dough.
Nope, hate 'em. Much prefer parchment.
I've had a silpat for years, but only one and so I still use parchment and foil.
At the end of the day, there is something very relaxing about balling up the foil or parchment and tossing it and being DONE whereas the silpat sits by the sink waiting for a wash. Cleaning a silpat is less of a pain than cleaning a baking sheet, but it's still a pain, especially without a dishwasher, and laying it out to dry is never convenient in a city kitchen. Can't exactly fold it up and store it small, either.
I still use mine regularly, but when it goes, I don't think I replace it.
Mostly dislike. They never seem to lay flat and I think I get better browning with parchment. In rare instances where I don't need browning I may go silpat. Also, if I'm working with chocolate, candy or something else where I need especially good release. But for cookies, I'm team parchment. :-)
I got mine as a gift, and I was so happy to finally have one; Martha Stewart-remember her teaching shows? recommended them, so of course, I thought they must be the best.(had to buy a expensive pan to fit it) They have been around so long, so used that I would hope if there is 'off leaching', it would have been determined by now. Don't bake much any more, but use mine whenever I can. There is another product now, which I would like to know more about--thin sheets that can go on a BBQ, can be cut, if you wish, to fit pans and reused over & over--would be neat to have precut sheets ready to go in springform pans etc., but I wonder hoe safe they are health wise etc.--made in China whereas real Silpats are made in France.
Have it--- bought it because I always try the new items out there-BUT--never used it & it sits in my "sorry I spent money on that"drawer!
Love your site.
Everyone raved over the Silpat baking mat so I got one. I was so, so disappointed. It seemed that all just turned into a big grease blob by the end of baking and my baking results were not nearly as good as if I'd simply greased the baking sheet or used parchment. And, like many others, I'm not keen on the baking on plastic factor.
Shirley
I have two and use them for a variety of things like baking, rolling out dough, roasting nuts and veggies. I keep them flat in the same drawer as my placemats and don't mind washing them. I also use parchment from time to time depending on the recipe.
I got a Silpat from a friend who didn't like it. Well, I do! I do very little baking, but like it when I do. What works really well for me is putting it in the pan for roasted vegetables, which leave a mess of caramelized juices, very hard to clean up. I got a 2nd, inexpensive, one, which seems to perform equally to the expensive Silpat.
I am surprised at people who want to put it in the dishwasher: if there is any potential for problems, the caustic dishwasher detergents would bring it on. Probably shortens its life too.
And for me, a strong favorable factor is that it is reusable - I hate throwaway one use products! But recyclable? Probably not.
I SPREAD ALUMINUM FOIL ON THE BAKING SHEET THEN USE A NON-STICK SPRAY, IF THE PAN IS NOT SOILED I PUT IT IN THE CUPBOARD AND TRASH THE FOIL. ONE LESS CLEAN-UP.
I've never had any. In the last couple of yeas I have started using parchment paper for roasting vegies and baking cookies, which works very well. I think we need to get away from our dependence on plastics, which use oil which is not a renewable resource. Paper, made from wood, is renewable.
From answers.yahoo.com:
Silpat® are made of fiberglass and silicone, and have a life of 2,000 to 3,000 times.*
Silpat conforms to US regulations on food grade silicone, and are FDA, NSF®, and Kosher certified.
They are not plastic, but more information would be helpful.
Christine,
Truth be told, I've never used them even though I have one. Parchment paper, stainless steel and glass are my go to baking tools
I agree with her.
I bought an original Silpat when they first came out and paid entirely too much money for it. So to compensate for my splurge, I used it like crazy. Within 6 months or so, it gave off a horrible taste to whatever I baked on it....and I mean nasty, nasty chemical taste. I never broiled with it or overheated it, either. Husband knew with one bite the food was "tainted". I thought he wouldn't catch the funky taste like I did. I threw it away and now stick with my Pampered Chef baking stoneware and/or parchment paper.