Baking Essentials
The Profile
Parchment Paper
Parchment paper is one of the most crucial products a baker should have in their equipment. If bread, pastries, cakes & cookies are unable to release from pans, your time & efforts have been wasted. Parchment paper is a natural product made from plants such as fir, sugar cane, cotton & flax. It’s fashioned from unsized paper which doesn’t have any fillers added to it during the production process. However, parchment paper does go through a chemical process that separates all of the components in a highly pressurized system. Wood chips are combined with a chemical solution that essentially separates the fiber & the lignin to produce a pulp. It’s then cleaned so that the only item remaining is the fiber. After a bleaching process, parchment paper becomes a bright white hue. It’s then combined with water & sanitized newspapers & other materials. After cleaning, it’s pressed to release some of the water & formed into sheets of an even size & thickness. In order for the paper to become parchment, it’s fed through an acid bath which bonds or seals the paper. The paper is then washed & dried with the chemicals removed. The result is a paper that provides a heat resistant, non-stick surface. It’s odorless, tasteless & tough. The paper does retain water so in order to strengthen it, food grade silicone is often added to the surface which also makes the paper able to withstand temperatures of up to 450 degrees. Learn how to use this versatile paper when baking your favorite items.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Use Parchment Paper
Parchment paper is available in many forms. Rolls, rectangular sheets & circles ready for cake pans are just some of the ways it may be purchased. It comes as bleached & unbleached options, too. I prefer sheets specifically designed to fit pans as they are flat & may be manipulated easily for many needs in the kitchen. Aside from making excellent releasing capabilities, parchment paper may be used when stacking items in boxes to keep moisture & grease at bay. Homemade candies such as caramels & torrone may be wrapped with it, too.
The Technique
Preparing metal pans for the baking procedure is more than likely the most important step necessary to ensure items release beautifully. A few key points should be considered in order to choose the best method & products to use for this very important task. Parchment paper may be added to cake pans so that sticky ingredients release easily or simply place it directly over half sheet pans when baking cookies. For more ways parchment paper may be used, look to The Basics: How To Bake.
The Tune
“How High The Moon” Ella Fitzgerald
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