Making a special layer cake for your kid’s birthday? Without good cake pans, all your efforts will certainly go down the drain. Indeed, you will probably end up with a cake that sticks to the bottom and sides of your disposable aluminum pans. So here’s a ready guide to what cake pan you must buy for different kinds of cakes. And whatever cake pans you buy, make sure you have at least a pair. To get you started, here are some cake pan basics:
Materials: Cake pans are traditionally made from tinned steel, stainless steel, aluminized steel, or aluminum. Some pans have non-stick coatings. There are even some new varieties of flexible cake pans that use silicon-coated fiberglass.
Depth: The standard depth of a 9-inch cake pan is 2 inches. That gives you an idea of the proportions for other sizes. However, some 9-inch cake pans can be 1½ inches or 2¾ inches deep.
Insulation: Some cake pans are actually made from two layers of metal with airspace in between. Insulated pans are designed to prevent too much browning.
Weight: Cake pans can weigh from 5-25 ounces. For obvious reasons, heavier pans are more often used commercially or professionally.
In addition to these basics, you need to see if your cake pans satisfy the following requirements:
- Cake layers must release easily from cake pans. Portions of the crust or even whole chunks of cake often stick to the pan.
- A cake pan should brown the cake without roasting it. Obviously, therefore, your cake pans must conduct heat evenly so that the crust is uniformly colored and the cake rises evenly.
- Cakes usually release better from pans lined with nonstick coatings.
- Another thumb rule is: the darker the pan, the darker the crust. However, dark cake pans can create a darker crust without making it too brown. In fact, cakes baked in darker cake pans may prove sturdier and more resistant to crumbling.
- Aluminum cake pans with light-colored or shiny finishes also make well-browned cakes because aluminum conducts heat evenly and quickly. Tinned steel (but NOT stainless steel) cake pans with a nonstick coating also produce a dark finish.
- Insulated pans are also low on the list of preferences because the two layers of metal separated by airspace slow down the browning process.
- Cake pans with handles on either side are easier to handle for obvious reasons.
So now you know all, drop us a line to let us know how you get on with your baking!
Copper has been used as a cookware material almost since man – or woman — first began cooking! Copper cookware is highly valued for its heat conductivity, but should not be used unless lined with tin or stainless steel because it can contaminate food. Cooked food left directly in contact with uncoated copper may also become discolored. Basically, copper leaches into acidic food, causing an unpleasant taste and coloration. Copper residue in food can also cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
The solution is to use wooden or other “soft” non-scratching utensils with copper. Copper cooking surfaces are usually lined with tin or stainless steel. These linings, especially tin ones, are not very durable, and therefore should be reapplied when they wear thin. However, because tin melts at about 450°F, you would be wise to take as many precautions as possible to prevent overheating.
Other than this one major drawback, copper has none. It has about 10 times the heat conductivity of stainless steel and glass, and twice that of aluminum. Top class copper cookware may use a combination of copper and stainless steel or other metals. Others use a core of solid copper sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel to distribute heat uniformly.
To sum up, this is what copper cookware is all about:
o Excellent conductor of heat. So much so that you may need to reduce cooking time and temperature
o Must be lined with tin, nickel, or stainless steel
o Acidic foods cause copper to tarnish
o Copper cookware is a highly susceptible to scratches
o It reacts to some food other than acidic foods
o Tin or nickel linings are not very durable, and must be professionally repaired
Maintenance
- Always wash copper cookware in hot, soapy water immediately after cooking
- Dry immediately and do not store with the lid on. This might allow moisture to collect inside and cause corrosion
- It is not absolutely necessary that you keep the copper bright and shiny, but you must keep it clean. Though commercial copper cleaners work best, you can also use a paste you can make with a little flour, salt and water
Tags: Copper Cookware
For many years the main way to cook vegetables and other foods was to add water and bring them to a boil in a traditional pan. However, now individuals have the option to cook their food using waterless cookware, which provides many benefits that make cooking healthier and easier.
Nutrients Remain in Food
One of the biggest benefits of using waterless cookware is the fact that the original nutrients in food stay there while cooking. Research studies have shown that when water is used to cook or boil foods, many of the nutrients are lost in the process. However, waterless cookware uses the food’s natural water and juices to cook it, thus the nutrients remain for your benefit when you eat the food.
Food Doesn’t Absorb Metal
Using waterless cookware is also healthier since your food doesn’t absorb any metal from the pan. This is due to the fact that it is made from stainless steel, while traditional, common cookware consists of aluminum material that flakes off microscopic pieces of metal into your food.
Food Tastes Better
Another benefit of using waterless cookware is the fact that food tastes better than when other types of cookware and water are used. Waterless cookware requires the food to use its own water and juices to cook. This allows the food to have better flavoring and a richer taste.
Cooking Takes Less Time
Individuals with limited time enjoy waterless cookware due to the fact cooking takes less time. When water is added to a pot or pan to cook a food it takes additional time as the water must heat up before the actual cooking process can begin. Since waterless cookware uses the food’s natural juices it takes less time as the water from the food and the food heats up and cooks at the same time.
Easier to clean
In addition to cooking being easier, cleaning is also easier when waterless cookware is used. Steam coats the inside of the cookware, which prevents items from sticking and burning to the bottom and the sides. This makes it very easy for you to clean up after you have provided your family with a healthy, tasty meal.
Waterless cookware is a relatively new type of cookware available for you to use. It provides many benefits as it saves you time and makes your food healthier to consume. You can experience the benefits for yourself by purchasing waterless cookware today.
Tags: Waterless Cookware