Baking dishes: varieties, tips for choosing and subtleties of use

Cooking delicious and healthy food is not an easy task for both the housewife and the employees of cafes and restaurants. To bake any dish in the oven, you need to have high-quality and convenient baking dishes, without which it is difficult to count on a good result. It is the right choice of containers for cooking that will make it possible to create any culinary masterpieces.

A baking dish is an important kitchen utensil for any housewife, as it allows you to quickly prepare the desired dish. The creation of such dishes was caused by the well-established canons of forms and appearance of national dishes, such as Easter cakes, muffins, charlottes and biscuits, which were baked in a certain way in compliance with the norms of the diameter and height of the product. At home, it is difficult to exactly repeat the original look of such dishes, but every housewife strives for this.

Thanks to a wide selection, you can choose a product of the required diameter, shape, size, from the right material.

In such a dish you can cook:

• gingerbread;
• tartlets;
• bakery products;
• muffins, muffins, eclairs;
• pies;
• cakes;
• puddings;
• casseroles;
• souffle.

The variety of dishes and methods of their preparation, the length of stay in the oven and the heterogeneous composition force us to select different materials for the baking process.For the preparation of a particular dish, the choice of material is important, since each has its own characteristics: temperature range, duration of heat retention, reaction to a sharp change in temperature and other indicators. When choosing a specific variety, you need to know for sure that it is suitable for the desired dishes.

• Metal - a convenient and sturdy dish in which you can bake biscuits, pies, fish and meat without fear of high temperatures and long cooking times. The most common materials for such forms are tin, aluminum and stainless steel. Products with a non-stick coating allow you to cook food without greasing the container with oil, but they must be carefully cared for, otherwise they will quickly become unusable. Marble chips allow you to strengthen the strength of the product and increase its service life. If the mold is Teflon, it is necessary to choose the cooking mode more carefully and set the temperature to no higher than 300 °.

• Silicone - the most convenient form for a modern housewife. Due to the peculiarities of the material, the product can have any configuration, dimensions and colors. In such a container, you can cook both sweet and salty dishes without greasing the inside, without using paper or foil. Such forms are not covered with scratches, are easy to clean, and any dish can be removed from them without any problems. Due to the peculiarities of the material, the molds can be used both at temperatures down to -60 ° and at high temperatures: up to + 250 °. For the manufacture of such forms, high-quality non-toxic medical silicone is used.

• Ceramic - all main dishes can be cooked in such forms: meat, fish and side dishes. Due to the special properties of ceramics, food remains warm for a long time until the container has completely cooled down. The shape and size of such items can also vary, ranging from a large ceramic baking sheet to small pots in which you can prepare portioned meals. Another option for baking dishes is porcelain, which is also created on the basis of clay, but has a more beautiful and neat look. This type of cookware is heat-resistant and can withstand high temperatures.

• Glass - suitable for all kinds of pies and stews, in which different products are mixed with a bright color scheme. Such dishes are usually transparent, made of fireproof glass.

• Cast iron - suitable for roasting meat, fish and poultry in general. Thanks to the thick bottom and sides, the product warms up evenly, which contributes to uniform baking of food without the danger of burning. And also food retains heat for a long time and has time to be saturated with its own juice and aroma. The cast iron mold is heavy, so you need to use it carefully, especially when removing it from the oven.

• Paper - goes for baking muffins, cakes, muffins. Convenience consists in one-time use of the form and its subsequent elimination without the need to care for and wash it, as well as look for a storage space.

The hostess chooses utensils for the kitchen not only for their functional purpose, but also for other criteria, one of which will be the shape of the product. For the oven, you can use the following options:

• rectangular;
• round;
• oval;
• non-standard.

The rectangular shape is the most common and is made from metal, ceramic, glass and silicone. Due to the rather large size in such a container, you can prepare a dish for the whole family or baked goods in sufficient quantities.Round containers are less common, but also popular, especially for baking cakes and biscuits, can be made of any material. The oval shape is often made from ceramics and glass and is intended for meat and fish dishes, stews and casseroles.

Non-standard forms can have baking ceramics, which are created in the form of pots for portioned dishes. The most common are silicone items, which can be made in the form of flowers, hearts, stars, bears and in other versions and will delight both adults and children.

Baking dishes may vary in size. A large container is needed for cafes and restaurants, where it is necessary to cook huge amounts of food during the day, a small one will satisfy the needs of a family of 2-3 people. Depending on the type of product, the most common sizes can be distinguished:

• 18 cm;
• 20 cm;
• 25 cm;
• 28 cm;
• 34 cm;
• Rectangular shape 42X25 cm.

In addition to the diameter, you can classify the size of the baking dish in liters:

• 0.2 l;
• 0.5 l;
• 0.9 l;
• 1.3 l;
• 2 p.

Each manufacturer can make a product at his own discretion, so it is worth checking in advance whether the chosen form is suitable for the stove and whether it will be convenient to use it.

Since baking dishes are quite popular kitchen utensils, many brands are trying to present their designs. The most famous company producing split molds is Tefal. This brand has established itself with high quality and optimal pricing policy. The most demanded product is Tefal Easy Grip with a diameter of 25 cm, made of the highest quality carbon steel.

It can withstand strong temperature changes and does not deteriorate from mechanical stress. Due to the fact that this model is available with a non-stick coating that covers both sides of the product, there is no need to additionally lubricate the mold with oil. Companies also have a high rating Nadoba Pada, Brial Rondell, Grouse.

Heat-resistant glass products are becoming more and more popular due to their beautiful appearance and the ability to observe the cooking process. In this industry, the palm should also be given to the brand Tefal, which produces containers Clip & Close. In addition, brands such as Appetite, Pyrex "Classic", Glasslock.

Tefal silicone products are also distinguished by their high quality and ease of use. They often buy products of brands such as Regent Inox, Beccer, Ded Moroz. Among the manufacturers of ceramic baking dishes, the leading brands are Agness, Katun, Tima. Depending on the production capabilities, the range of products may vary, as well as the cost. When choosing a capacity, you need to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of each model from various manufacturers.

To choose a high-quality, not too expensive, but durable baking dish, you need to correctly evaluate the options available. It is preferable to choose those products that serve for a long time, while at the same time do not affect human health in any way and do not change the taste of food. The most successful are:

• metal;
• silicone;
• ceramic;
• cast iron.

The first option can be either one-piece or detachable. In addition, it can be with a wire rack, which makes it possible to prepare a variety of dishes. Silicone ones are the easiest to use, they do not need any specific conditions of use and storage, they make salty and sweet dishes equally well. The convenience of silicone molds is that they can be not only original and beautiful, but also portioned. Ceramic is usually sold with a lid to improve the palatability of food that is baked in the oven. The ceramic mold can be of different colors, the porcelain is usually white.

Cast iron products are considered the most durable and reliable, but in everyday life it is not always convenient to use them, since they are quite heavy. No less popular are glass products that have an attractive appearance, low weight and average cost. The refractory structure of the material allows it to be used both in the oven and in the microwave.

Each container is designed for the preparation of a number of specific products, and you should not experiment and cook cakes in a glass container or a stew in a silicone one: the result is more likely to disappoint than bring something new to cooking. In order for the baking dish to serve for a long time and does not deteriorate, you need to use it correctly.

• Metallice products are not placed in the microwave, they are washed with soft means without a metal mesh, which is especially important for a Teflon coating.
• Silicone molds can be used in the oven, microwave and multicooker; they cannot be placed on a gas or electric stove. The forms are washed with a mild agent without the use of hard washcloths. Do not use a knife or sharp objects when working with silicone.
• The oven and freezer are equally well suited for glassware, but it is important not to change the temperature regime abruptly, otherwise the glass will crack. You can wash a hot container with warm water, and a cold one with cool water, using soft washcloths.
• Ceramic containers used in ovens. Care consists in a careful attitude and washing with neutral agents with a soft sponge.

You will learn how to deliciously bake roast in pots in the following video.