Silicone Baking Mats vs Parchment Paper

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Parchment Paper Substitutes for Baking Stones

You must keep in mind that you can’t use oil or butter on a baking stone. It’s best to sprinkle either flour or cornmeal. Although, the parchment paper has one major advantage: there’s no cleaning to be done afterwards.

But at least cornmeal works very well to prevent loaves or pizza from sticking to the baking stone. And if you don’t have any cornmeal, flour will work just as well.

Just like it’s the case when using a proofing basket. Users have declared that rice flour works perfectly for protecting the dough from sticking to the coils of the basket. If you’re using parchment paper to line a proofing basket, those beautiful coil marks won’t be as noticeable once the loaf is done baking.

Video

Analyzing the gases evolved from the parchment paper

Parchment paper only releases water, which occurs in the temperature range up to 150°C. Figure 3 shows the measured spectrum at 100°C in red in comparison with the database spectrum for water (blue).

The spectrum for parchment paper (red) at 230°C shows the release of CO (orange), CO₂ (green) and small traces of methanol (black) and formic acid (blue). These decomposition products are presumably produced by the thermal decomposition of the paper. After the measurement, a brown discoloration of the paper can be observed.

The Ultimate Guide on How to Choose a Silicone Baking Mat

When you start your search for a silicone baking mat, you will realize that choosing the best one is not a walk in the park. This is because silicone mats come in different designs, sizes and features.

If you wish to find the best one for your needs, here are some of the considerations that you should keep in mind:

Material

Many people shy away from using silicone bakeware and baking accessories because they believe that it contains chemicals that are not safe for our health.

To ensure your health and safety, choose a food-grade silicone material. The label, food-grade, indicates that the material is free of harmful chemicals. Other labels that you should look for include BPA-free and PFOA-free.

​Temperature Limit

In general, silicone baking mats are designed to be freezer-safe and oven-safe. Despite that fact, you should understand that the heat tolerance of the mats may vary from one another.

To make the most out of your purchase, I recommend that you go for a mat that has the highest heat tolerance so you can bake anything you want without the fear that the mat will melt while it is inside the oven.

​Ease of Maintenance

I know that baking can be a lot of work and as much as possible, you would want to make the cleanup as simple and fast as possible, am I right?

Most baking mats can be placed at the top rack of the dishwasher for easy cleaning but please keep in mind that some mats do not have this feature so you should make sure that the one that you would choose is dishwasher safe.

To know how to take good care of your mat, please watch this video:

Size

Baking mats come in different sizes. When choosing the right size, it is a must that you consider the size of your baking sheet. Because of this, it is recommended that you measure your baking sheet first then choose a mat that is slightly smaller.

Cost

You will be surprised to know that baking mats are available at a wide price range. A cheap mat does not always mean it has low quality. To ensure that you can purchase an affordable yet high-quality mat, always check out its features and user reviews.

Moneyback guarantee

The guarantee is one good evidence that the manufacturer is confident that the product that they offer is of high quality.

Just like most products that you can buy in the market, some baking mats are covered by a money back guarantee too.

Silicone Baking Mat Safety: Is Silicone Safe for Baking?

Food-grade silicone is a non-toxic polymer mostly made from silica (sand). It’s generally considered safe and non-toxic, so there’s no need to worry about baking with silicone mats.

While silicone is widely considered safe for baking, I found it difficult to locate a clear, definitive statement on that from the FDA. There is this document, which includes silicone on a list of materials that “may be safely used in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding food.”

The government of Canada is decidedly more clear in their guidance:

There are no known health hazards associated with use of silicone cookware. Silicone rubber does not react with food or beverages, or produce any hazardous fumes.

Even though silicone baking mats are considered safe for baking, you still need to make sure to you’re using them within the manufacturer’s guidelines. In general, most silicone baking mats should not be used under the broiler. They’re typically designed to withstand temperatures up to 450°F (232°C). They’re also not intended to be used directly on oven racks and in toaster ovens. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s specifications for the specific mat you buy. 

Substitutes for Parchment Paper: My Top Pick

Best: Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicon Baking Mat

Even though this is an expensive silicon baking mat, it’s without a doubt also the best choice to make. What makes it a great substitute for parchment paper? No matter what you’re baking, there’s absolutely no need to grease the Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicon Baking Mat. That’s the whole point of using these kind of baking mats. They also save you from frequently buying new rolls of parchment paper and having the best substitute always in the kitchen is what attracts people to these mats. Once you’re done baking, simply wash it with soapy water and let it dry. It can withstand temperatures of up to 500 degrees F and it’s made for 13″ x 18″ pans.

Determining the mass loss in the two samples

The silicone baking mat (green) loses 0.4% of its mass during the heating cycle. The parchment paper (red), on the other hand, loses 5.1% of its initial mass during heating and a further 4.3% during isothermal treatment. The mass loss is not completed after 60 minutes in either of the two cases.

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