To avoid frustration or a last-minute trip to the store, read the entire recipe before you begin baking to make sure you have the required ingredients and equipment.
When choosing baking pans, remember that shiny metal pans made from aluminum or tin are best for baking because they reflect heat away from the baked product. If you use pans made from other materials, you may need to adjust your baking times.
For example, items baking in insulated pans require more baking time and take longer to brown while foods baked in dark-colored pans require less baking time and brown more quickly. Glass and enamel pans conduct and retain heat and result in a heavier, browner crust.
For best results, it's important to use the correct size pan called for in the recipe. When baking bars and brownies, if the pan is too large, the bars may be dry and overbaked. If the pan is too small, the bars might be doughy, underbaked or may overflow the pan.
When checking the size of a pan, measure from the top inside edge to the opposite inside edge.
In this Story
- Making Baked Goods
- Picking Pans for Baking
- Operating an Oven