Why grease a pan

When a high-fat dough absorbs even more fat on the pan, the risk of spreading increases. In our delectable Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies , for instance, you'll want to resist greasing the pans—they simply don't need it.

If you're using cooking spray as the grease, be sure to give the pans a really good wash after using; leftover residue can damage nonstick cookware and cause discoloration on the pans over time.

If you bake a lot, consider investing in a couple of silicone baking mats. They're durable, re-usable, dishwasher safe, and completely eliminate the need to wonder if you need to grease or not—the answer is always no! Another option is parchment paper , which is a heat-proof, moisture-resistant paper treated with silicone to make it nonstick.

Even in the cases where a recipe instructs you to grease the cookie sheet, don't overdo it—a light coating is plenty. Our favorite way of greasing cookie sheets is to let the butter being used in the recipe soften up in its wrapper.

Article Summary. Part 1. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Choose between butter or shortening to grease your pan with.

Butter and shortening are the 2 most common fats used to grease baking pans. Butter will impart a slight richness to the batter and will help the exterior bake to a golden brown. Shortening is flavorless and the batter is less likely to brown. Oil turns into a hard glaze when it is heated that can be tough to remove from the pan. Scoop up shortening with a pastry brush for a flavorless option. Gently dip your brush or paper towel into your shortening and pick up a glob about the size of a dollar coin.

If your shortening is too hard, let it sit out at room temperature until it softens up enough to be pliable. You can buy pastry brushes at most home goods stores. Open up a stick of unsalted butter for a smoother and richer pan lining.

Grab a new stick of unsalted butter from the package. Open up 1 side of the paper until about half of the butter stick is out. Leave the paper on the bottom half of the butter so you can hold it without getting your hands greasy. Rub butter or shortening over the bottom and sides of your pan. Spread a thin layer of your greasing agent onto the entire bottom of your pan.

Make sure there are no holes in your layer. Go over every part of the pan at least once. Turn your pan on its side and apply your greasing agent to the sides of the pan as well. Spray a thin layer of cooking spray on your pan if you are not baking. For normal stovetop pans and dishes, oil and cooking sprays are fine to use. Hold the spray can at least 5 inches 13 cm away from your pan.

Spray a thin layer of spray over the whole pan, making sure to coat the entire thing. Part 2. Set aside some flour that is already used in your recipe. Various flour types can be used to flour the pan, but the rule of thumb is to use the flour that the recipe called for. This way you won't be altering the taste or composition of the batter.

Choose cocoa powder instead of flour for chocolate baked goods. Flour is tasteless, but it can leave a white residue on baked goods, especially if they are chocolate ones. For chocolate cakes, muffins, or any baked good that has cocoa powder in it, set aside some cocoa powder in place of flour.

Tip: Cocoa powder will also add a hint of flavor to the outside of your baked good. You Might Also Like. Bites from other Blogs Posted on March 18, Bites from other Blogs Posted on January 26, Shannon March 20, Jules March 20, Eileen April 1, Amanda April 1, Valencia December 27, Ellen January 13, Aspen Earnhart October 15, Laura October 11, Robin April 3, Diana Pettis May 6, What do you think?

Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Still, there are cases when flouring a pan is essential, like when your recipe has a high sugar content which, as the cake bakes, will lead to caramelization on the edges. If the sides of your cake stick, you can thankfully always run a knife around the edge to loosen them, but if the bottom of your cake gets stuck, you are pretty much out of luck. Rather than struggling to get the cake out whole, I suggest frosting the cake in the pan and then serving it from the pan, by the slice, with the help of a spatula.

Next time, a round of parchment will help you avoid this unfortunate situation altogether.