good baking sheets (ISO)

I am planning on making a lot of Christmas cookies this year and want to make sure that I have the best pan (that I can afford!). I have seen the Williams and Sonoma sort but $20 is a bit pricey for me.

Does anyone have any advice on the best pan to buy? I know the shiny, aluminum ones are the best...but is there one that is better than another?

Reply to
Stef
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I like the air-cushioned cookie baking sheets.

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them for less than $5I bought mine at Costco and they weren't expensive -perhaps 2 for $10 moreor less. They don't say the brand on the bottom, only "Patent Pending, donot immerse, and dishwasher safe." but sometimes depending on the recipe, they do stick and I have to spatula them off.

Dee

Reply to
Dee Randall

Reply to
Stef

"Dee Randall" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Do you put yours in the dishwasher? Since there are ventilation holes in most of them for the "cushion of air" between the two pieces of metal, I would think that water could enter through the holes and become trapped. I assume that's also the reason that they should be immersed.

I use baking parchment for all cookie baking, regardless the type of sheet. Nothing ever sticks.

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

snip>I assume that's also the reason that they should be immersed.

I'm not sure of your statement ?????, but I don't put them in my dishwasher. First, it's too small; second, if it says, do not immerse, I don't want water in the dishwasher coming in the 'holes' and staying there. I would think that putting them in the dishwasher would be almost the same as immersing them.

I usually use parchment paper, but I've always wondered about the effectivenss of putting parchment paper on these cookie sheets that are made with a cushion of air "for the purpose of" preventing the cookies from burning (and sticking?); then to put parchment paper on top would be over kill or preventing the sheet from doing its job.

I know you say, "... regardless of type..." Do you have this type of cookie sheet that you do use with parchment paper?

Reply to
Dee Randall

You need a sturdy pan that won't warp in the oven. I have some from Costco and they are great. As I recall, they were three (half sheet size) pans for about $12. The last I looked, they were throwing in a cooling rack for free. If you don't have access to a warehouse club, then try a restaurant supply. Williams Sonoma is far too expensive, in my opinion. Avoid the insulated or "air bake" sheets. A sturdy aluminum pan will work best. As already mentioned, consider using parchment. You can get 50 sheet packs (full sheet pan sized) for about $3 at Gordon Food Service that can be cut in half to fit your pans. Parchment eliminates a lot of mess and it allow you to form your cookies on the parchment and then shift them on and off a limited number of pans. Just make sure you cool the pans before putting on a new sheet of cookies. Never put cookies on a hot baking sheet. You can run the pans under some water, dry them, and put on the new sheet of cookies in a couple of minutes.

Reply to
Vox Humana

The Costco deal is a great one. Currently it is two heavy half sheet size plus heavy plastic, domed, fitted covers for each and a cooling rack for $12. You can't go wrong on this. The domed covers means you can raise bread rolls in the pans without messing about with some other covering that will stick to the rising dough. The cooling rack is an excellent, heavy-duty one. Janet

Reply to
Janet Bostwick

I think I'll put my "air-cushioned" baking sheets away and stick to the regular baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

I did buy the recent Costco 3pans, plus rack at Costco, and was disappointed that the 3 pans seems to be much thinner/lighter than the ones that I had bought there maybe 5 years ago in a pack. But I still think it's a good deal! When I get my new digital scale (thanks to "scuba"'s great advice,) I'll weight them out. (I bought the 13# scales, the 6000T model at the place you recommended, and stuck with your advice to get the vibrakiller. I was disappointed that I couldn't get it in green, but I guess blue will be pleasing longer.

Dee

Reply to
Dee Randall

Thanks for the great advice!

SC

Reply to
Me

I've just discovered parchment paper, and it's wonderful! I've used it on my one air bake cookie sheet without any trouble. Hope this helps.

____

Lori

Reply to
Lori

One way to combat hot pans and still get a lot of cookies baked in a short time is to have enough pans for 2 cycles through the oven. While one set is in the oven, you can cool the next set and load it up. I realize a lot of people probably already do that, but thought I'd pass that on for folks who are new to baking.

Didn't know you could get the parchement pre-cut at GFS. I'll have to check into that. I've been getting it a Wal-Mart on a roll. Thanks!

____

Lori

Reply to
Lori

The parchment from GFS is great. It comes folded in half around a piece of cardboard. I use a sharp razor knife to cut the paper where it bends around the cardboard without totally unwrapping it. That way I can slips pieces out as I need it and it is the right size for a half sheet pan.

Having two sets of pans is a good idea, but some cookies bake so fast that you can't always get them cooled down fast enough for the next batch without some intervention. I just wanted to make a point of saying that they have to be cool.

Reply to
Vox Humana

"Dee Randall" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Dee, that should have read, "...they should *not* be immersed." Sorry for the confusion.

That's my thought, too. I have a huge number of baking sheets, only two of which are the air-cusioned type. Since I don't like cleaning up, I rarely use them, the other sheets going into the dishwasher. Using regular sheets, I always "double-pan" them and find that works almost as well as the air-cusioned sheets.

Having said all that, I really do prefer the air-cushioned sheets for things that are particularly delicate. I never have to worry then about over-browning.

Unless I've run out of parchment, I absolutely never put anything to bake on a sheet without it. That goes for the regular sheets and the air- cushioned. While there is *less* chance of sticking with the air- cusioned sheets, it still can happen. Parchment absolutely prevents it. Otherwise, it doesn't prevent or interfere with the benefits of the sheet.

The other thing for me (just a quirk, I guess)... For most things, I don't like using a spatula for removing the items, partucularly cookies. Rather, I wait until they are firm and almost cold, then slightly twist and remove. This eliminates the roughed-up bottom that spatulas often produce. Using parchment guarantees that this method will work, while without the parchment the cooled cookies would probably be stuck like glue.

Wayne

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

"Dee Randall" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Dee, what kind of scale is that? I need a new one. Vibrakiller?

TIA Wayne

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

Last night I was watching a Julia Child show (I think recorded from the day before) where a woman baker was baking/demonstrating some kind of tart/bread/pie with loads and loads of butter in it.

As she was putting it in the oven on a baking sheet, Julia asked her if she would put it on parchment paper and the baker said, NO! - that the parchment paper would actually draw the butter out of the item and one would find loads of butter on the bottom of the parchment paper and that is not what she wanted.

Even though I've seen parchment paper loaded with butter after baking, I've not *heard* this before, that parchment paper actually draws out the butter.

Dee

Reply to
Dee Randall

Oops! It is Not the Vibra Killer scale -- tee hee - it is the Myweigh Scale

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larger model 6001T - the T stands for the colored scale. and the 6000series is the 13# vs. 6# for the 3000 series.I bought the VibraKiller pad (for $2 extra) that goes with it to make iteven more accurate - so they say! I paid $46.90 + 7.95 for shipping. You can get the 6# for less.

They did deliver quickly yesterday, (I ordered December 5) however,it was not my scale they sent, it was someone else's order (a plug) , alas!

Dee

Reply to
Dee Randall

Don't believe everything you see on TV. The food network is particularly notorious for cavalierly dispensing false information. I'm sure most of the misinformation is passed along innocently and there is no mechanism for discussion that would allow for a correction. One has to wonder just how the parchment would draw the butter out of an item. I would speculate that you simply see the butter easier on the parchment than you would on a baking sheet. That might lead to a conclusion that here was a cause and effect relationship where none existed.

Reply to
Vox Humana

I would speculate that

I thought the same as you that ",,, you simply see the butter easier..." but then ---

Dee

Reply to
Dee Randall

I've nevered considered that before, but my observation is that parchment is "greaseproof" and repels fats, including butter.

That aside, if I'm baking something with that much butter in it, it's doubtful that I'd necessarily use parchment since it probably wouldn't stick anyway.

Wayne

"Dee Randall" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

"Vox Humana" wrote in news:EGlBb.1060$ snipped-for-privacy@fe3.columbus.rr.com:

Yes, what you said, Vox. Parchment is "greaseproof" and therefore repels fats. It makes it all the more obvious to the eye when the butter or other fats "pool" on the surface.

Wayne

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

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