Cooking For Engineers

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

thanks SirShazar, I realize the purpose of greasing the pan is to help adhere the parchment paper to the pan. But which of these two ways would you say to do or go by if recipe just says line cake pan with parchment paper?

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

Wow, you're really not into experimenting are you?

So, I would say, first cut the parchment paper to the size and shape of the bottom of your pan. Put the parchment paper into the pan to test to see if it fits. If it's too big trim it back a little and repeat until it fits.

Rub butter on the sides of the pan with your fingers. Put a little flour (teaspoon or so) into the pan, and tilt the pan so the flour covers the buttered area. Rotate and tap the pan until the flour moves and flows onto another part of the buttered pan. A thin layer of butter will have stuck to the pan where you previously covered it. Rotate and tap until all the buttered areas are covered with flour. If you run out of flour, add a little more and proceed.

Rub some flour on the bottom of the pan so there is some stickiness to the bottom of the pan. Put the parchment paper into the pan using the butter as a mild adhesive. This won't help with the baking, but it will help the parchment paper from moving while you pour the batter which is a nice bonus.

Throughout life you're going to be getting a lot of instructions, many of which conflict. Some will work better than others in specific circumstances while others simply won't work well for you. You really have to be open to experimenting to see what works and what doesn't. I understand (from your extreme focus on "medium or medium-low mixer speed?" and "which parchment paper instructions do I follow?") you like to fully understand a problem and solution before tackling it, but often trying something hands-on is the best teacher.

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

Thanks every one for your advice. And yes Mr. Chu, I have been exprerimenting. and my cake didnt come out thats why i am asking my questions. Usually ask before because i would like to prevent any problems when I bake.

Mumu

SirShazar · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 89

If there is a specific recipe, or part of a recipe, that you're having trouble with I can try and help you with it. I'm not much of a baker, but I do have a lot of technical cooking knowledge.

If you're using a round pan you shouldn't bother greasing the pan because if the parchment is the right size it will hold itself in the pan. It's hard to describe in words so I made an illustration, you fold at the grey lines and cut at the red:

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

THANK YOU SirShazar!! Very helpful.

Mumu

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

SirShazar,

The biggest problem I was having was when a recipe said grease and flour cake pan or line with parchment paper,i couldnt figure out how to get the parchment paper on the sides of pan . I thought lining pan with parchment paper was doing the whole pan. You know, kind of lining with foil. I realized this now is to diffcult. so just decided to do like every one else says cut circle and then grease sides or grease first and lay parchment paper down and sides already greased. I couldnt figure out why you wold need to grease pan ,because thought whole idea of using parchment paper was to elimate the greasing process threw me off track. Being new to baking I didnt know.

Just thought I would share this.

Thank You Again!
Mumu

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

You can line the sides of the pan with parchment by cutting a long rectangular strip of parchment paper. If the sides of the pan are 2-in. and the diameter is 10-in. Then cut a strip 2-in. by 33-in. (the extra 1.5 inches are for overlap). Once you've stuck the bottom on, dab a little butter onto three or four points on the side and use the rectangular strip to line the side.

mumu33 · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 51

quick question does line your pan with parchment paper mean the bottom and sides of pan or does this just mean bottom. It seems kind of weird to me to line the sides for a cake, the sides pull away any ways,any reason for this?

Mumu

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

Mumu, as you said, the sides of the cake pull away from the sides of the pan. It is not necessary to line the sides for the cake to easily come out of the pan.