Cooking Essentials - Keys to Success - Baking & Roasting

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Keys to Success - Baking & Roasting

BAKING & ROASTING

Equipment for baking and roasting is probably not used every day, so
you need not spend a fortune. However, avoid anything flimsy.
pans that bend in your hands may cast your handiwork on the floor.

OVENWARE
THE CHOICE OF METAL
or ceramic, nonstick or
uncoated, depends
largely on the job you
want the equipment
to do. Whatever you
buy, take good care of
it to avoid rusting
and scratching.

LAYER CAKE PAN

RAMEKINS

SPRINGFORM PAN

MUFFIN TIN

BAKING SHEET

COOLING RACK

SHEET CAKE PAN

LOAF PAN

(Click on the # box of each
listing for a full description)

USING AN OVEN
FEW NEW COOKS HAVE THE LUXURY OF CHOOSING their own oven,
but whatever is available, each oven will vary in performance. Get to know your
oven’s capabilities and adjust cooking times and temperatures to suit your oven.
Convection ovens are hotter than conventional ovens, so lower temperatures are
used, but always consult the manufacturer’s handbook.

(Back)

(Next)

PIE PAN

BAKING DISH

GRAVY SEPARATOR

POULTRY PINS

MEAT THERMOMETER

ROASTING PAN

ROASTING RACK

QUICHE PAN

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LAYER CAKE PANS

A loose-bottomed cake is 8 inches (20cm) in diameter & shallow. You will need two ot make a layer cake, but you may want to invest in more if you make a lot of small cakes. A nonstick coating is not necessary.

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RAMEKINS

Ramekins - small ceramic baking dishes - are for individual servings of souffles & baked custards, & can be brought straight to the table from the oven. The average capacity is 3/4 cup (about 150ml).

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SPRINGFORM PANS

This one is 8 inches (20cm) in diameter. The clasp on the side opens the pan & releases the bottom, so a cake can be removed easily. Use a pan of this size & style for delicate cakes & cheesecakes that break up easily. Nonstick is not necessary. A cake pan needs to be lined & greased for a good result regardless of the material it is made from or its coating.

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MUFFIN TIN

A nonstick coating is extremely useful in a muffin tin. If the pan is not nonstick, use paper liners, or grease the cups well.

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BAKING SHEETS

Buy the largest one that will fit comfortably in your oven. It should be sturdy, inflexible, & completely flat. Use it for pizzas & cookies, & to provide a heat-conducting base for quiches, pies, & tarts.

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COOLING RACK

Cakes should always be cooled before being filled, sandwiched together, or iced, & a metal cooling rack allows air to circulate around them.

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SHEET CAKE PAN

Select a deep-sided tray measuring about 9 x 13 inches (23 x 33cm). Take care when cutting not to scratch the nonstick surface.

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LOAF PAN

A nonstick pan is the most versatile. Use it for bread, & also for pates & terrines.

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ROASTING RACK

A rack allows meat to be roasted free of its own fat. A hinged one can be folded to cradle a bird.

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PIE PAN

Metal is better than ceramic or ovenproof glass for cooking pastry because it distributes the heat more evenly & gives a crisper result. A very hot baking sheet under the pie pan increases heat conduction. Pie pans have plain, sloping sides & a lip for the pie edging.

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BAKING DISH

A well-made ceramic dish measuring about 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25cm) across the top & 2 inches (5cm) in depth is perfect for baked pasta dishes & can be used for roasting as well. Dishes such as these cannot usually bear sudden & extreme temperature changes; while they are fine in the oven, they must not be transferred to a stovetop. Nor should cold water be poured into a very hot dish to cool it down; it might crack or bust into many tiny pieces.

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GRAVY SEPARATOR

The gravy boat enables the diner to pour fat-free gravies & sauces. Fat floats to the surface & can be poured off through a shallow spout on some models. The deep spout reaches into the liquid below.

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POULTRY PINS

Small pins can be used to truss poultry to hold it together while it cooks.

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MEAT THERMOMETER

Use for large birds & roasts: insert the thermometer probe through the thickest part of the meat at the start of cooking.

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ROASTING PAN

Best of all is a deep, enameled pan with a pouring lip. It should be strong, rigid, & as big as your oven will take.

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QUICHE PAN

As with the pie pan above, a metal quiche pan performs better than a ceramic one. Quiches are fragile, & the fluted edges helps strenthen the pastry shell. This pan measures 8 inches (20cm) across the base, which lifts out so the whole quiche can be removed without breaking. For easy serving, leave the quiche on the base.