Bakeware: varieties, tips for choosing and subtleties of use

Cooking tasty and wholesome food is not an easy task for both the housewife and the employees of cafes and restaurants. To bake any dish in the oven, it is necessary to have high-quality and convenient baking dishes, without which it is difficult to count on a good result. It is the right choice of containers for cooking that will make it possible to create any culinary masterpieces.

The baking dish is an important kitchen utensil for any housewife, as it allows you to quickly cook the desired dish. The creation of such dishes was caused by the established canons of the forms and appearance of national dishes, such as Easter cakes, muffins, charlotte and biscuits, which were baked in a certain way in compliance with the norms of diameter and height of the product. At home it is difficult to exactly repeat the original look of such dishes, but every housewife seeks this.

Due to the wide selection, you can choose the product of the desired diameter, shape, size, from a suitable material.

In such dishes you can cook:

• gingerbread cookies;
• tartlets;
• bakery products;
• cupcakes, muffins, eclairs;
• pies;
• Cakes
• puddings;
• casseroles;
• souffle.

A variety of dishes and methods of their preparation, duration of stay in the oven and a heterogeneous composition force to select various materials for the baking process.For the preparation of a particular dish, the choice of material is important, since each has its own characteristics: temperature range, duration of heat retention, reaction to a sharp change in temperature and other indicators. When choosing a particular variety, you need to know for sure that it is suitable for the desired dishes.

• Metal - convenient and durable form in which you can bake biscuits, pies, fish and meat, without fear of high temperatures and a long cooking period. The most common materials for such molds are tin, aluminum and stainless steel. Products with non-stick coating allow you to cook food without lubricating the container with oil, but care for them must be careful, otherwise they will quickly become worthless. Marble chips can enhance the strength of the product and increase its life. If the form is teflon, it is necessary to more carefully select the cooking mode and set the temperature to no higher than 300 °.

• Silicone - the most convenient form for the modern housewife. Due to the characteristics of the material, the product can have any configuration, dimensions and colors. In such a container, you can cook both sweet and salty dishes without lubricating the inside, without using paper or foil. Such forms are not covered with scratches, are easy to clean, and any dish can be removed from them without problems. Due to the characteristics of the material, molds can be used both at temperatures up to -60 °, and at high: up to + 250 °. For the manufacture of such forms, high-quality non-toxic medical silicone is used.

• Ceramic - in such forms you can cook all the main dishes: meat, fish and side dishes. Due to the special properties of ceramics, food stays warm for a long time until the container has completely cooled. The shape and size of such products can also vary, starting from a large ceramic pan, ending with small pots in which you can prepare portioned dishes. Another option for baking dishes is porcelain, which is also created on the basis of clay, but has a more beautiful and neat appearance. Such dishes are heat resistant and can withstand high temperatures.

• Glass - Suitable for all kinds of pies and stews, in which different products are mixed with bright colors. Such dishes are usually transparent, made of refractory glass.

• Cast iron - Suitable for baking meat, fish and poultry in general. Thanks to the thick bottom and walls, the product warms up evenly, which contributes to the uniform baking of food without the risk of burning. And also food retains heat for a long time and manages to soak in its own juice and aroma. The cast-iron mold has a lot of weight, so you need to use it carefully, especially from the stove.

• Paper - goes for baking muffins, cakes, muffins. Convenience consists in a one-time use of the form and its subsequent elimination without the need to care for and wash it, and also to look for a place for storage.

The hostess chooses kitchen utensils not only for their intended purpose, but also for other criteria, one of which will be the shape of the product. For the oven, you can use the following options:

• rectangular;
• round;
• oval;
• non-standard.

The rectangular shape is the most common, it is made of metal, ceramic, glass and silicone. Due to the rather large size in such a container, you can prepare a dish for the whole family or baking in sufficient quantities.Round packaging is less common, but also popular, especially for baking cakes and biscuits, can be made of any material. The oval shape is often made of ceramics and glass and is intended for meat and fish dishes, stews and casseroles.

Non-standard forms may have ceramic baking products, which are created in the form of pots for portioned dishes. The most common are silicone items, which can be made in the form of flowers, hearts, stars, bears, and in other variants and will please both an adult and a child.

Bakeware may vary in size. A large container is needed for cafes and restaurants, where during the day it is necessary to prepare huge amounts of food, a small one will satisfy the needs of a family of 2-3 people. Depending on the type of product, the most common sizes can be distinguished:

• 18 cm;
• 20 cm;
• 25 cm;
• 28 cm;
• 34 cm;
• Rectangular shape 42X25 cm.

In addition to the diameter, you can classify the size of baking dishes in liters:

• 0.2 l;
• 0.5 l;
• 0.9 L;
• 1.3 l;
• 2 l

Each manufacturer can make goods at their discretion, so it is worth checking in advance whether the selected form is suitable for the stove and whether it will be convenient to use it.

Since baking dishes are quite popular kitchen utensils, many brands are trying to present their developments. The most well-known company producing molds is Tefal. This brand has established itself with high quality and optimal pricing. The most sought after product Tefal easy grip with a diameter of 25 cm, made of carbon steel of the highest quality.

It withstands severe temperature changes and does not deteriorate from mechanical stress. Due to the fact that this model is available with a non-stick coating covering both sides of the product, there is no need to additionally lubricate the mold with oil. Companies also have high ratings. Nadoba Pada, Brial Rondell, Grouse.

Heat-resistant glass products are becoming increasingly popular due to their beautiful appearance and the ability to observe the cooking process. In this industry, the Tefal brand, which produces containers Clip & Close. In addition, brands such as Appetite, Pyrex "Classic", Glasslock.

Tefal silicone products are also of high quality and ease of use. Often buy products of brands such as Regent Inox, Beccer, Santa Claus. Among the manufacturers of ceramic baking dishes, the leading brands are Agness, Katun, Tima. Depending on the possibilities of production, the range of products may be different, as well as cost. When choosing a capacity, you need to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of each model from various manufacturers.

To choose a high-quality, not too expensive, but durable baking dish, you must correctly evaluate the options available. It is preferable to choose those products that last a long time, while not affecting human health and do not change the taste of food. The most successful are:

• metal;
• silicone;
• ceramic;
• cast iron.

The first option can be either solid or split. In addition, it can be grilled, which makes it possible to cook a variety of dishes. Silicone is the easiest to use, they do not need any specific conditions of use and storage, they are equally good at salty and sweet dishes. The convenience of silicone molds is that they can be not only original and beautiful, but also portioned. Ceramic is usually sold with a lid, which improves the taste of food that is baked in the oven. The ceramic form can be of different colors, the porcelain is usually white.

Cast iron products are considered the most durable and reliable, but in everyday life it’s not always convenient to use them, since they are quite heavy. No less popular are glass products, which have an attractive appearance, low weight and average cost. The refractory structure of the material allows its use both in the oven and in the microwave.

Each container is designed to prepare a number of specific products, and you should not experiment and cook cakes in a glass container or stew in silicone: the result is more likely to disappoint than to bring something new to the kitchen. In order for the baking dish to serve for a long time and not spoil, you need to use it correctly.

• MetalDo not put products in the microwave, wash them with mild detergents without a metal mesh, which is especially important for Teflon coating.
• Silicone forms can be used in the oven, microwave and slow cooker, you can not put them on a gas or electric stove. Wash forms with a mild detergent without using hard washcloths. Do not use a knife or sharp objects when working with silicone.
• Oven and freezer are equally suitable for glassware but it is important not to change the temperature regime sharply, otherwise the glass will crack. You can wash a hot container with warm water, and a cold one with cool, using soft washcloths.
• Ceramic containers used in ovens. Care consists in a careful attitude and washing with neutral agents with a soft sponge.

You will learn about how to deliciously bake roast in pots from the next video.