An expert from King Arthur Baking Company shares where people go wrong with their bakeware.
Howard Shooter/Getty Images
If your baking sheets have seen better days, youre not alone.
Most of us have crusty, grody trays from years of (happy!)
Photo:Howard Shooter/Getty Images
The good news is that this is sort of a good thing!
Theres no need toscrub this off, she says.
It actually helps to make the pans more non-stick, like the seasoning of acast-iron pan.
So you have permission to take it a little easy when it comes to maintenance!
You still need to care for them!
Many home bakers get a little bit too adamant about keeping their sheet pans spotless, she says.
Using abrasive scour pads and cleaners to scrub a pan that has anon-stick coatingcan damage the coating.
Keeping up this basic routine is gentler on pans and will keep sticky gunk from building up.
On top of this, they ensure easy release of baked goods like macarons.
Krueger notes though that silicone tends to hold onto grease.
They can be a little annoying to clean, she says.
I often find that I have to wash mine twice afterbaking anything greasy.
So if youre all about low-fuss, you might want to take that into consideration.
You Grease Your Sheets With Butter
Surprise!
This tip might shock you, but greasing your sheets with butter could be making your trays look worse.
Instead, Krueger suggests using vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, or baking spray.
So procrastinating is totally OK here!
Let the sheet cool down fully before you wash it.
Warping can also happen when you place your cool sheet in the hot oven.
To prevent this, preheat the pan in the oven for a few minutes (not too long!)
or run hot water over it first.
(Warped ones can actually lead to uneven cooking!)
This warm environment will help any trapped water evaporate, she explains.
