I picked up a couple of SilPat Non-Stick Baking Mats (11-5/8-Inch x 16-1/2-Inch) and I am so glad I bought two. These mats are great, nothing sticks to it and the mat stays in place. I love that it saves me money on buying parchment paper. Who thinks up this stuff?
Do you use parchment paper when baking? Parchment paper is terrific – it allows my pans to stay nice and I don’t have to use sprays, which can add unwanted calories and other “junk.” They can’t be healthy can they? Well, I found lots of uses for the parchment paper, but that stuff gets expensive – even if you buy in bulk. As an avid baker, when I realized how much the parchment paper was costing me, I got busy checking for alternatives.
(I love the Internet.)
That’s when I found SilPat.
I haven’t used the generic brands, so I can’t say how they will perform. I noticed some of the reviews on Amazon mentioned them.
This is what the manufacturer had to say:
Silpat nonstick baking sheets are made of woven glass coated with food-standard silicone. Used daily by professionals, the sheets offer multipurpose uses for preparing, cooking, and heating up food. They’re also easy to clean–simply wipe them off using hot water and dish soap. Store them by either rolling them up or keeping them flat.
Do not cut Silpat baking sheets with metal, but with DeMarle’s Exoglass cutters or knives. Silpat baking sheets replace parchment paper, and are heat-resistant up to 480 degrees F. The Silpat makes any baking sheet nonstick–no greasing necessary. The baking sheets are made in France.
I noticed that they do tend to feel greasy even after you wash them. I normally wash them first, before I wash the glasses, then hang it to dry. I store it right in the pan I’m going to use it in. Be careful not to use the mat as a cutting board! Not only will you damage the mat, you will dull your knives.
What I was most impressed with is that it doesn’t slide around on the table. So, it’s great for rolling out the dough. Unlike my big plastic rolling sheet that won’t stay put, this thing really does. I love it for rolling out dough, the dough doesn’t stick at all. They make a larger mat just for this purpose and I plan to get one soon. (I hope Santa reads this. [He did.])
This would be near the top of my must haves for the kitchen. They are a bit pricey at around $20, but the smaller one are very reasonable, maybe if you ask Santa real nice…
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