Kelly the Culinarian: Kitchen gadget: Silicone bakeware

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Kitchen gadget: Silicone bakeware

I've been house sitting this week for a friend, which gives me the opportunity to cook and bake to my heart's delight. Joanna has many a fun kitchen toy, but the most interesting to me was her silicone bakeware. I've seen the late-night infomercials for this stuff, but I am leery of stuff that they have to take a half an hour to sell me on. Plus, I couldn't imagine how anything that flimsy could make a hearty dish.

But I gave it a try anyhow. She has a silicone potholder and a silicone baking mat. The mat was really interesting. I used it to mix dough on and it didn't stick at all. I also used it when I made cookies and warmed up pizza in the oven. The melting cheese didn't stick and burn as it usually does and the cookies didn't burn around the edges at all. They easily peeled away from the sheet, unlike when I use parchment paper or aluminum foil.


Then there's the potholder. It's shaped like a mitten and made out of super thick material, so it's a little hard to handle. But it's completely effective. I was able to lift the lift on a metal pot that had water boiling in it for 30 minutes with ease. Then, I used the potholder to grasp a baked potato just out of the oven and was able to hold it long enough to peel the potato.

On top of everything, the bakeware washed up well too. With just a little soap and water, melted cheese and chocolate or whatever can off easily enough without staining.

I'm not a big fan of infomercials or the products they pitch with nauseating enthusiasm, but this product it worth looking into.

9 comments:

People St.Clair said...

I have a silicone mini loaf pan and its the coolest thing. I use it for all types of baking and mini meatloafs too. I'm a fan of silicone bakeware.

Retno Prihadana said...

Kelly, Thanks for sharing the information. I´m going to find and buy them.

Dawg said...

Nonwithstanding the infomercial status, silicon bakeware, cookware, etc. are recommended fairly widely - especially the "silpat" baking mat - I've heard several bakers recommend them. I have silicon spatulas - you can use them for high heat cooking as they don't melt like plastic, but they won't scratch up your non-stick cookware. I also have silicon potholders - I've burned them by accidentally using the wrong side (ahem), but otherwise they're great. I'd like to see silicone load/bread pans? The loaf pans I use are non-stick but they are rocket-hot when they come out of the oven - maybe the silcone ones are cooler to the touch?

frantic foodie said...

I have a silicone rolling pin, pot holders, lots of baking pans. I have pretty much a lot of silicone stuff. Truth is the more I cook
the less I use of them. I just don't find they work as well as the old fashioned ones.
Rolling pin especially , the old wooden ones are the best. Sorry,
I just thought i'd give my oppinion.

stay-at-home mum said...

I have seen these silicon bakeware in the shops and have wanted to buy them. But they are so expensive here. I only do baking occasionally (twice a month)so i thot it was not worth it to invest in it. My normal baking pans are still serving me well. Maybe I will give them a try when a sale comes around.

backStreetGluttons said...

dun think we have seen it here locally but our images of silicon are , u know of that voluptuous kind
LOL !

Cynthia said...

I am itching to get a silpat.

Big Boys Oven said...

This gadget really do well for us. they are good thing to have around.

tigerfish said...

Cool...I only have those cloth potholder...it still can get real hot sometimes when I remove something from the oven.