Silicone tools, Silicone gadgets and
Silicone bakeware have invaded the kitchen. Offering a multitude of benefits for the home cook, silicone is making life in the kitchen easier than ever.
Once only a staple for pastry chefs, silicone has been added to kitchen tools and gadgets ranging from bakeware to meat tenderizers, and just about everything in between, giving home chefs the opportunity to enjoy the various benefits of silicone in the kitchen.
Food-grade silicone is heat resistant to over 600° F. It has a long life and resists staining, and doesn’t retain odors of the foods it comes in contact with. Further, silicone doesn’t break down or loose its shape due to extreme temperature exposure – a definite plus when used on a spatula, to bake a cake in the oven, or even basting meat out on the grill.
Silicone has great release properties and can be used in the oven, microwave or freezer. It is even dishwasher safe. Add to all these benefits, the rainbow of fun colors available, and silicone is destined to become a staple in the kitchen.
Silicone food trussing strings are a handy alternative to kitchen twine (and are reusable).
Silicone pot holders are flexible and easier to use than regular pot holders, especially when grasping small handles.
Silicone baking mats are ideal for placing on a cookie sheet – or for rolling out dough when you don’t want to add excess flour to prevent sticking.
Similarly, silicone rolling pins allow you to use less flour on pastries, flexible silicone colanders fold right up for compact storage, and color coded silicone measuring cups make for easy reference when cooking or baking in the kitchen.
When using a
silicone mold to bake a cake, for example, it does take some getting used to. You will most likely need to place the flexible mold on a larger sheet pan for support moving in and out of the oven. Further, silicone doesn’t always peel away from the cake smoothly, and doesn’t brown the outside (creating a texture that makes it easier to frost) like a conventional metal pan does.
In particular with bakeware, the thickness of the wall helps with balance in baking. If the wall is too thin, then the heat doesn’t have time to distribute evenly. Conversely, if too thick, it takes too long of a time for the heat to transfer.
There are many different grades of silicone and to get most benefits of silicone, it is important to purchase products made with high quality silicone, as opposed to those made with fillers. The addition of fillers can affect the heat stability of the product. To check if the product is made with fillers, simply twist a piece and if it remains the same color, then there aren’t any bulk fillers.
Care and maintenance of silicone is very easy. To clean, soak in warm soapy water and be sure not to use abrasive soaps or scouring pads. Silicone bakeware is easy to store as well.
While it is heat resistant to high temperatures, silicone should not be placed on direct heat, such as stovetops. For best results, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on the packaging for use and care.
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