"silicone" news and stories

Silicone baking cups have advantages and disadvantages. Anything baked in them, will pop out easily without sticking to the wrapper, as baked goods often do when a paper liner is used. Of course, same result could be achieved simply by greasing the muffin tin itself and not relying on paper liners at all.

One of the other advantages of using silicon cupcake cups is that you don't need the muffin tin to support your wrappers as you bake. You can simply set the cups directly onto a baking sheet, so you can make a batch of eight or fourteen without having to conform to the number of cups your muffin tin offers. This also enables silicone baking cups to take on some shapes that cupcakes don't generally come in. Wilton makes heart, square, triangle, and diamond-shaped baking cups. They hold the same amount of batter as regular baking cups but allow for more creativity when decorating. For example, Wilton suggests using the heart cups to make strawberry-shaped cupcakes.

The name of the Sili Sling is derived from the fact that it is made of silicone, but it seems fitting for such a strange looking kitchen tool. The sling is designed to lift heavy foods out of a roasting pan, making it a perfect choice on Thanksgiving, as an 15-lb turkey can be difficult to maneuver, to say the least. No one wants to drop the turkey, but you can't leave it in the pan until it is cool and easy to handle, not unless you have no interest in making gravy, anyway. The oval sling is perforated and will not interfere with cooking, nor will it interfere with browning. The handles drape over the side of the pan and should be cool enough to handle after a few moments outside of the oven. Once Thanksgiving is over, you don't need to retire the sling for another year. It can be used for any other type of roasted or baked meat, from ham to fish, and has a maximum capacity of 18-pounds.

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As I have mentioned in the past, I don't really care for silicone bakeware. While it allows cakes and other baked goods to cook evenly, it doesn't produce any of the browning or caramelisation at the edges that I love to see. That being said, I do own several silicone cake pans, collected after trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. . I would give them away to a friend or someone who might actually get some use out of the nearly-new pans, but they seem to have become sticky to the point of unusability - and I have no idea why, nor does there seem to be much information about the issue online. Have any of you readers had the same problem? The pans are all dishwasher safe and the instructions say that they cab be soaked in warm, soapy water to clean them, as well. If I'm the only one, then clearly my pans are even worse than I originally thought. If I'm not, then I definitely recommend sticking with more traditional, easier to clean bakeware.

I have had mixed feelings about silicone kitchen supplies in the past, but generally, I think it only makes unsatisfying bakeware and great tools - especially outdoor tools. In this case, I'm talking about silicone basting brushes. Once I got one last summer, I didn't want to go back to a regular bristled brush.

The silicone brushes are ideal for use in grilling because they are heat resistant and durable. You can spread on any amount of sauce or glaze without having to worry about the brush drying out or charring due to heat and, best of all, you'll never have a bristle come loose onto your food. They are also dishwasher safe, which makes cleanup a breeze. I use a short handled one most of the time, which works very well, but the serious griller might be more interested in long-handled versions, like the Grill Friends Angled BBQ Brush or BBQ Basting Mop.

I am not a huge fan of silicone bakeware because I prefer both the stability and browning abilities of my more traditional metal and glass pans. I do, however, appreciate the nonstick factor that silicone has. Consequently, I love using my silpat whenever I'm not using parchment paper, particularly when working with sticky things, like sugars and candies. It should have occurred to me sooner that this same nonstick feature would prove itself to be extremely useful in other areas of cooking, such as working with doughs. I am referring to silicone rolling pins, which are fantastic for preparing cookie doughs and just about anything else that needs to be rolled out. I was able to try one out at a friend's house this past week (just like the one pictured here) while we were making some sugar cookies and it worked perfectly. I'm attached to my wooden French rolling pin, but I think I'll have to consider an upgrade now that I know there are French-style silicone pins, as well.