You can use a baking mat and parchment paper interchangeably in a variety of ways. Although both are great for baking or cooking, a baking mat is reusable and long-lasting, while parchment paper can only be used once or twice at a time. Baking mats are perfect for flat surfaces, whereas parchment paper can mold to fit in deeper pans like loaf pans. We break down the uses of baking mats versus parchment paper in the list below. The whole mat can then go into the freezer to allow the ghosts to set before adding them to drinks. It is easy to decorate your cakes to look totally professional. Just add some melted dark or white chocolate icing (or colored with edible gel) to an icing bag. The short answer is just about anything! These handy kitchen mats can go from oven to freezer and can be used to cook, decorate and even do double duty in making crafts. Silicone has a low thermal conductivity and good thermal stability, meaning it transfers heat more slowly than other materials and holds up to continued heat (or cold) over time without breaking, melting, or ripping. When buying a silicone mat, you’ll want to pay close attention to its temperature limits to make sure that it is well suited to your uses. While most of the mats listed above can handle temperatures up to 500° F, if you plan on bread baking or cooking at high heat, pay extra attention to the upper degree limit on the label.

When I make fudge, I often like to line the pan it is made i for easy removal of the fudge, but sometimes aluminum foil leaves little bits when it is peeled off. Instead use a silicone baking mat. Form it to the inside of your pan and add the fudge ingredients. Once your fruit mixture has cooled, you can cut a piece of wax paper or parchment paper to place the mixture on so that you can then cut it into rolls. For a tasty strawberry fruit roll up recipe, try this one from Life Currents.. Get Crafty! There's no doubt silicone bakeware helps us get even more creative in the kitchen. From fun shaped cakes and biscuits to mini loaf trays, silicone cake moulds are a fuss-free way of perfecting our best bakes. But of course, it’s not just cakes they help us create: silicone cookware can help with rustling up everything from waffles to quiches, turning out beautiful results time after time.

How to Clean Silicone Baking Mats

These mats are best hand washed, instead of in the dishwasher, although most are labeled dishwasher safe

Fran Sales is an associate editor for The Spruce Eats. Having been a consumer of plant-based food and vegan and cruelty-free home and kitchen goods for years, as well as a relatively recent convert to food composting, she’s always on the lookout for the next best way to help the planet. It is not just edible projects that can be made on Silpat mats. You can get crafty with DIY projects, as well. Place cookie cutters and fill them with peppermints to make ornaments. Protect your Work Surface This silicone baking mat is not only covered by a lifetime warranty but it's also thoughtfully designed at a standard size that should easily fit the majority of baking sheets you’ve already got at home," say Monica and Jessica Valenzuela, co-owners and bakers at Little Boxes NYC Bakeshop.Many reviewers enjoy using this large mat on top of their workspace to protect their counters. The standard size measures 27.5 x 20 inches, which won’t fit most baking sheets, but it comes in a variety of sizes for larger or smaller surface areas and baking trays. Versatility: while there’s not much versatility to be had when it comes to a silicone baking mat, those that were able to go in the freezer, microwave and dishwasher scored a few extra points. Just make sure that if you use a cookie sheet for your clay, do not use it later for food. For Nail Art: Using a Silpat baking mat to bake and roll a Swiss Roll cake makes this baking project a breeze. The cake mixture is baked on the pan and then filling is added and the whole cake is rolled right on the silicone mat.

This is one time when the high heat of the silicone baking mat is not as important as the even cooking that the mats provide. Meringues are cooked at a very low temperature and these mats will give you fluffy and crispy meringues with just the right texture. Place a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet, and make free form shapes or get extra creative and make forms that resemble trees, stars or whatever you like. Glue drips will peel right off and even messy acrylic paints are a breeze to clean up. Make ornaments and candy cane craftsI have never not been a fan of store bought pizza and find most retail pizzas way too high in calories, so I make my own and slim it down by making various substitutions.