Types
of Baking Pans
Baking pans can be made of many
different materials, each of which may have
a different effect on the end product of your
baking. Pans with dark colored surfaces will
cause the food to brown more readily because
they absorb oven’s heat more efficiently. Light
colored pans result in evenly cooked food, but
have their disadvantages. Aluminum baking pans,
for example conduct heat very evenly, but their
shiny surface reflects that heat rather than
absorbing it, so that food that does not brown
as well. The follow list represents commonly
used materials.
• Aluminum Baking Pans: Cheap, durable
and efficient, but it doesn’t brown well and
acidic food damage its surface.
• Aluminum Foil Baking Pans:
Very cheap, disposable even, and rather flimsy,
but it does its job and can be used as a serving
dish on informal occasions.
• Tempered Glass Baking Pans:
It doesn’t stain, heats evenly and browns well;
it’s only draw back, if you want to call it
that, is that it must be allowed to cool fully
before being exposed to water or it may shatter.
• Stone Baking Pans: A great
conductor or heat, but it heats up very slowly
and must be “seasoned” with a covering of oil
or shortening before it can be used.
• Non Stick Baking Pans: The
non-stick coating darkens the material, whatever
it may be, which can lead to over-browning.
• Tinned Steel Baking Pans:
These dark pans heat evenly, but get dark with
use, so heating times must be adjusted.
• Stainless Steel Baking Pans:
A lousy heat conductor; don’t even bother.
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