topic Re: parchment paper in Kitchen

parchment paper

catter70 — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 11:02:03 GMT

Since my mom passed a few years ago, I make chocolate chip cookies for my sister and myself like she did. My questions are, if I use parchment paper, will I still be able to get a crisp cookie, (we like them crisp/crunchy), will I need to adjust time? Also, do you all refridgerate your dough for a day or so prior to baking?

Re: parchment paper

panda1234 — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 11:29:36 GMT

@catter70 Refrigerating dough is always a good thing to do, you avoide having a cookie puddle when done baking. Don't use parchment paper so I can't answer your question about that.

Re: parchment paper

DottieD — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 12:14:39 GMT

@catter70 sometimes you have to try things out to see what works best for you. I am forever making notes on my recipes to see what I've discovered along the way. I bake my chocolate chunk cookies on silpat mats, whereas I tend to use parchment paper for cookies that I roll out (gingerbread, sugar cookies). I always refrigerate the dough prior to baking. I tend to bake most cookies at 325. i can't remember the last time I baked a cookie directly on the sheet pan without the aid of a silpat mat or parchment paper. Hope this helps.

Re: parchment paper

azgal — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 12:57:04 GMT

@DottieD I just got a silpat mat and it seemed like the cookies spread more. We like chewy cookies.

Do you adjust the cooking time and temperature when using the mats?

Re: parchment paper

Harpa — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 13:05:25 GMT

I don't think the parchment paper has any effect on crispness. (I use parchment for all my baking.)

It's the egg in the batter that makes the cookies cake-like.

Also, maybe to flatten out the cookie on the tray before baking.

Re: parchment paper

gardenman — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 13:26:27 GMT

I've never found parchment paper to have any effect on the crispness of a cookie. I find that and also silicone baking sheets like the Silpat to be largely neutral in their effect on what I'm baking. They just make cleanup and handling a bit easier. I use parchment paper under my proofing loaves of bread as it slides on and off my bakers' peel very easily and doesn't seem to affect the crust at all. If anything, it has less of an effect than the cornmeal or other options to make a wetter dough slide on the peel. I just shape the bread dough on the parchment paper then slide the peel under the paper at baking time and off onto my baking stone in the oven paper and all.

I just used my generic Silpat type baking sheets on a batch of chocolate chip cookies and they came out the same as they do on an unlined cookie sheet. I saw no difference at all. I use those all the time on my home-made soft pretzels and once again, no impact on the finished product.

I find parchment paper very handy for bread doughs. If you handle a fully proofed (maybe slightly over-proofed) dough too much you risk it deflating. I can put a fairly wet dough in a banneton (dough basket) and then immediately flip it over onto parchment paper and keep the basket over it and the dough will rise up into the basket, helping to maintain the shape. I then slide my peel under the paper, basket, and banneton, gently lift off the banneton, score the bread, and then slide it into the oven with far less risk of it deflating than if I try to flip the bread out of the banneton onto the peel. The paper doesn't seem to affect the crust at all and it makes handling the dough much easier. The paper will get a bit crispy around the edges on some of the higher temp bread recipes, but I've never had it catch fire.

Re: parchment paper

Shanus — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 13:33:50 GMT

I follow most of Ina Garten's (Barefoot Contessa) baking recipes. She rarely places cookies, tarts, etc. directly on the cookie sheet w/o parchment paper. She claims besides crisper cookies/crusts...fast and easy cleanup.

Re: parchment paper

Eileen in Virginia — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 13:34:49 GMT

I use either parchment paper or a Silpat sheet with no difference in the results. One caution - if you use parchment on an unrimmed cookie sheet, be sure to hold onto the parchment when you remove the sheet from the oven. I almost lost an entire sheet of cookies the first time I used parchment because I didn't realize how slippery it was.

Re: parchment paper

riley1 — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 13:43:57 GMT

@catter70 - I use parchment paper when baking all of my cookies. Cookies come out just fine and clean up is a snap!

Re: parchment paper

catter70 — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 14:03:46 GMT

Thanks, eveyone, for your help. As you could probably tell, I only do this once a year and thought I would try the parchment paper and refrigerating the dough.

Re: parchment paper

DottieD — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 14:04:51 GMT

@azgal try a lower baking temperature. I feel I have more control over the cookies when I bake at 325. Are you refrigerating the dough ahead of time, or baking as soon as you make the dough? Just made cookie dough tends to spread as they bake. Also, the ingredients in the cookie play a huge role in whether or not a cookie will be chewy or crispy.

Re: parchment paper

faeriemoon — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 14:07:05 GMT

A little FYI:

I have found this parchment paper to be the best (available on Amazon):

Zenlogy 12x16 (100 Pcs) Unbleached Parchment Paper Sheets for High Heat Baking

A bit pricey, but the best.

Re: parchment paper

azgal — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:23:44 GMT

@DottieD wrote:
@azgal try a lower baking temperature. I feel I have more control over the cookies when I bake at 325. Are you refrigerating the dough ahead of time, or baking as soon as you make the dough? Just made cookie dough tends to spread as they bake. Also, the ingredients in the cookie play a huge role in whether or not a cookie will be chewy or crispy.

Thanks DottieD. I've been making toll house cookies for years but always bake them at 375. They come out pretty soft but seemed to spread more on the mat. I put the dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes. I'll try a lower temp.

Re: parchment paper

DottieD — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:28:51 GMT

@azgal I'm going to make a batch of Tollhouse cookies and experiment baking with both parchment and silpat mat. I haven't made those in ages since I've come up with a chocolate chunk cookie recipe I've been making for 30 years!

Re: parchment paper

azgal — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:36:46 GMT

@DottieD I have used parchment paper and didn't notice any difference.

Thanks for your help!

Re: parchment paper

Scooby Doo — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:47:07 GMT

I worked part time in a bakery. They always used parchment paper on their stainless steel trays. In fact, they used it a couple of times before discarding.

I was at a bakers supply store last week and saw sheets of parchment paper. You can buy either half sheet size or quarter sheet size. Much better than cutting it to size off the roll.

Re: parchment paper

LizzieInSRQ — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 17:33:59 GMT

I will never buy rolls of parchment paper again! I get the sheets already cut. I haven't compared to Amazon but I get mine at WebstrauntStore dot com I LOVE this site.

Re: parchment paper

peachesncream — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 17:56:01 GMT

I always use parchment paper on my cookie sheets, and we love crispy cookies! Especially DH, he hates soft ones.

I buy sheets of parchment from King Arthur Flour online.

I also usually chill my cookie dough overnight, and then take it out of the frig for a half hour or hour before baking. I think I get better results this way. I can't explain why; it seems letting the batter sit overnight in the frig makes the flavors better. Of course, it doesn't have to be baked the next day. That batter can sit in the frig a few days, or even be frozen.

Also by dividing up the labor over two days - one day for mixing and one for baking - it makes it less of a chore for me.

Another thing is, some batters are just too soupy to go right into the oven, especially if the batter calls for softened butter. The butter after mixing can just be too soft and the cookies will spread too much while baking. Chilling the dough solves that problem. But I do let the dough sit out on the counter a bit before baking.

Re: parchment paper

CelticCrafter — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 18:27:35 GMT

I threw all the silpats out and went back to parchment paper. I couldn't stand the oily feel or the rancid smell on the mats no matter how hard I tried to scrub them clean.

Re: parchment paper

ahoymate — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 19:40:13 GMT

Crunchiness is a factor of your ingredients, not the parchment paper. Specifically the sugar. Google for details. I use parchment paper all the time & I like my chocolate chip cookies crisp on the edges and chewy in the center.