Those silicone cake moulds

[idun]

 Last time I was in France I bought my son and his girlfriend a new silicone cake mould, what with sweet17 saying that they were great. My own Tefal do not work, but this was leclercs own. Unused until my currenct visit and I baked a cake today............and it stuck. I had well greased it, such was my lack of confidence, which was confirmed.

My raggy cake was nice, but I would have liked it it be good looking too.

Needless to say I shall never ever buy another silicone cake mould, they are, for me at least, a remarkable waste of money.

[Patf]

I've thought of buying silicone loaf moulds, but haven't dared - thinking they will melt in the oven!

I prefer my old metal loaf and cake tins, with greaseproof paper linings. I bought some in Lakeland (the linings) last time I was over, I've never seen them in the shops here.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/in-the-kitchen/baking/parchment-and-cases

[idun]

 When I was a young baker, I used to hate lining tins and thought that I should be able to buy liners,

They have existed for quite a number of years now. Last year when I was in York, I bought some from Lakeland, as it happens, but I can buy them at home too. Some supermarkets even have them in.

[YCCMB]

They're great for some things, though! Made some blueberry muffins last weekend and - of course, because there were little cake cases between the silicone and the mix - they were perfect. I have a couple in France for tarts and quiches. They seem to work fine for pastry.

Best of all, because I make ceramics, I bought a number of silicone icing moulds to use with clay. Now, for that, silicone is absolutely fan-blooming-tastic!

[dwmcn]

idun,

My American mother used to grease and flour cake tins to prevent sticking. It worked for her and it works for me.

David

[mint]

Oh, id, I am so sorry at your disappointment.

I have silicon muffin moulds which I use for cupcakes as well.  One lot of 12 was from Lidl (on promo, cheap as chips) and one lot from Lakeland (free as a "sweetener" with an order over however many pounds it was).

No probs with either lot.

Then I bought 1 tray of 12 madeleine moulds and just had to go back to the shop to buy another tray of 12 (at 50%) both times.  My madeleines, as I have written about here, are rubbish but the moulds are just fine.  I think I will try making them again, going back to the recipe that Loiseau gave me and fill them a bit more this time to see if the cakes rise with that madeleinish mound that Loiseau talked about and I have yet to achieve.

I also have 2 silicone moulds shaped like boats with lids for baking things en papillote.  Wish I could see them in Aldi again because I'd certainly buy more.

Of course, I also have metals moulds, quiche tins, loaf tins, you-name-it but I tend to use the silicone moulds the most because they are just so much quicker to use.

The moulds are quite hard to wash (I have no dishwasher) and it's sometimes necessary to wash them a couple of times in very hot water to get all the grease off but it's worth it not to have things sticking and not to have to grease or line or anything else.

Perhaps, Id, you oughten't to grease or line them?  

[Val_2]

I use the silicone bun trays to make yorkshire puddings because they just fall out of the holes when cooked whereas metal trays just don't release them. They wash up very well in the dishwasher too!

[idun]

[quote user="dwmcn"]

idun,

My American mother used to grease and flour cake tins to prevent sticking. It worked for her and it works for me.

David

[/quote]

[:D]lol this is one of those moments where I should ask you to show me how to suck eggs.

In fact, quite recently when my husband made the mistake of making such a remark, as above, I asked him just that and do you know, he got an egg out and showed me. My eyes to the sky as I walked away muttering things that were not very nice.[Www]

My english mother started me baking when I was 7 and I know how to prepare baking moulds/tins.

The very best tins I have are from Carrefour, bought years ago and still gooduns. I would buy more from them but the ones in the Carrefour´s here are too big for my needs, I have some big cake moulds but frankly rarely use them, and 18 or 20 cms are big enough.

So I have silicone both cheap and the make Tefal. Patf, they don´t melt........... yet, although I am in the mood for lighting a good hot fire and melting them.[6]

[mint]

My best tins are Tesco's top of the range (prestige or some such silly name), heavy gauge and a joy to handle and use.

Id, how about if I traded my rubbishy oven for your rubbishy silicone moulds?[I][:P]

[idun]

 Strangely, I thought that my french oven, bought not long before we moved back was not very good, well, not compared to my De Dietrich that worked hard for over 20 years and cost and arm and a leg.

I bought an expensive Canon cooker a couple of years ago and it is rubbish, (remember I get soggy bottoms on my pies, and I have never had soggy bottoms in my life) my cheap french oven works much better.

But still, in the grand scheme of things, I have two ovens now that I wish I didn´t have I loathe one and dislike the other. So becareful what you try and trade, mine would probably be the lousiest trade that you could ever do.[:-))]

[mint]

Id, I had 2 very expensive godin ovens, one big one divided into a small and a good-size and one a wood oven so, in effect I had 3 ovens of 3 different sizes and functions!

I wouldn't pay that much ever again because I didn't think the finishes were as I'd expect.  Might look at a Lacanche (is that the right name?) next time around.

However, the cooking all 3 ovens did was incredibly good.  None of the heat settings translated into either fahrenheit or centigrade but I got used to them and made my own oven settings chart.

My best oven ever was a Bosch and I could cook anything in it and it would come out looking like a picture from an expensive cookbook.

[Judith]

I'm not much of baker - so getting things out of tins has always been my bugbear!

At least with silicone moulds (bought cheaply form Aldi or Lidl) I can bend the sides down (or up if they are upside down when turning out) and get stuff out that way.  I always grease, but had never thought of putting them in to the dishwasher to clean them, so thanks for that tip!

The think I don't like about silicon is that they are not rigid enough to take in and out of the oven easily, but you can't have them flexible to get stuff out and rigid enough to keep solid when lifting, now can you, and I know which I prefer!

But as I say, I use them so infrequently I am not an expert in this.

[idun]

Well the one I used yesterday was what I can only describe as ´flacid´, before the mix went in and when it was full, well it had a life of it´s own. I stood it on a baking tray to put it in and take it out of the oven, so that I wasn´t touching the mould again  AND also to make sure that it didn´t drop between the grill tray in the oven.

[Patf]

All in all I think strong metal tins with a greaseproof paper lining is the most practical. You don't need to grease, or wash out the tins, and they keep their shape.

I also have some bigger metal baking sheets for biscuits and bread buns - just line them with paper, no need to wash afterwards.

I also think there's a difference comparing the results of baking with metal, glass, ovenware pottery and probably silicone on the texture of the baked product. Especially pastry.

But that's a different subject.

[Pommier]

On the whole I like to use metal tins for pastry and Yorkshire puddings because they get hot (I think!), but I love silicone for cakes and bread. It's su nice to be confident that things will turn out. I do grease silicon and use a metal baking tray to slide things in and out of the oven. I once bought an expensive Tefal silicon bread tin which was reinforced with metal, but which only lasted a few uses before tearing, so I've since stuck with () cheap supermarket own brands.

[mint]

[quote user="Patf"]All in all I think strong metal tins with a greaseproof paper lining is the most practical. You don't need to grease, or wash out the tins, and they keep their shape.
I also have some bigger metal baking sheets for biscuits and bread buns - just line them with paper, no need to wash afterwards.
I also think there's a difference comparing the results of baking with metal, glass, ovenware pottery and probably silicone on the texture of the baked product. Especially pastry.
But that's a different subject.
[/quote]

Oh, I agree, Pat:  I only ever use metal for pastry.

I do always put things on a metal tray so that I can slide them in easily and so that any drips, spills, etc will go on the tray and not on the oven shelves or floor.

But for cakes, I now only ever use silicone and I am glad we are talking about this because now I am reminded to give all my paper cupcake cases to some French friends who I know do not have silicone moulds.

For Victoria sponges, I only line the base and I also have loose-bottomed tins for higher cakes.  For square tins, it's easy just to use 2 strips of paper in a "cross" so no need to make arrow-shaped cuts on the corners if you can't be bothered.

I am due to make up a Lakeland order so will probably look at some large baking sheets, Pat.  I like to give home-baked biscuits at Christmas.

Just hope that OH will be told he could drive again and that I'll find the time to make some goodies to give away.  For ourselves, we tend to eat very sparingly because that's one way for me to protest against all the over-consumption I'd grown up with! 

[dwmcn]

idun,

OK I won't bother you ar anybody else here again.

David

PS That's only this thread. I doubt if Tefal or silicone tins were around when my mother was baking cakes. Our chicken is still laying eggs. Want to experiment on one?

PPS That's tins, not tits.

 

[idun]

[quote user="dwmcn"]

idun,

OK I won't bother you ar anybody else here again.

David

PS That's only this thread. I doubt if Tefal or silicone tins were around when my mother was baking cakes. Our chicken is still laying eggs. Want to experiment on one?

PPS That's tins, not tits.

 

[/quote]

And there was me thinking  I had said, what I said with a sense of humour. You had after all sounded rather like my husband who often comes out with such comments. As if I would say anything so ´ useful´ when he has hit his thumb with a hammer[Www]