Why Silpat Baking Mats Are Better Than Using Parchment Paper
There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
On Trial: The Silpat Perfect Cookie Baking Mat
The Tester: Melanie Yates, a home baker who goes through way too much parchment paper
The Brief: OK, I'll be honest. I was never aware of what a Silpat baking mat was until very recently. I typically use parchment paper to line my baking sheets for cooking everything from fish to veggies to cookies in my oven, and trying to tear off that sheet perfectly every time feels frustrating at best and wasteful at worst. I was intrigued to learn more about this endlessly reusable, new-to-me kitchen device that isn't just a one-trick novelty. I had to call a Silpat mat in for myself to use at home.
Silpat baking mats are washable, reusable, oven-safe devices made of FDA-approved, food-grade silicone and fiberglass mesh. They're meant to be used on top of a baking sheet instead of spraying the sheet with cooking spray or covering it with a sheet of disposable parchment paper. Silpat mats were developed by French pastry chef Guy Demarle over 50 years ago, and the basic concept and construction of these mats is pretty much the same.
The idea is that silicone, a non-reactive and durable type of rubber, provides even heat distribution and a more substantial barrier between the metal baking sheet and the food that's being cooked than parchment paper or oil provides. It's harder to completely burn the bottom of whatever you're cooking when you use a Silpat mat because of this.
I have to point out here that Silpat baking mats aren't indestructible — they're best for using in controlled heat environments like in an oven, not on the grill or over an open fire. The mats can withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the brand.
Silpat baking mats come in a few different shapes and sizes, from general use to specialty designs, and I found the Perfect Cookie Mat to be really handy for providing a visual guide for a making a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
If your oven has a tendency to scorch the bottoms of your baked goods before they're fully cooked through, using a Silpat can help slow that burn so that the cookies bake more evenly. The result: chewy (not undercooked gooey) deliciousness by the dozen. But if you want to be subversive, there's no reason that you couldn't use the Perfect Cookie mat to cook savory edibles, too.
This doesn't necessarily mean that parchment paper is completely obsolete. For example, a Silpat mat would be great for cooking skin-on salmon, to help prevent that skin from sticking to the baking sheet — but maybe not as great for oven fries, since you likely want a crispy, not chewy, fry texture.
Closing Argument: The Silpat Perfect Cookie baking mat is a helpful kitchen tool that helps food cook evenly in the oven without having to tear off yet another piece of parchment paper. And even though they're usually a little over $20 each, they're an endlessly reusable investment that'll last you for years.
Read More:
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Our Editors' Favorite Kitchen Essentials for Work-From-Home Life
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