Choosing the Right Cookie Sheet

[Scott]

I was looking for some new cookie sheets--i.e., ones with at least one rimless side so that cookies can be slid rather than lifted off, if need be.

I was looking at these at King Arthur. I was a little puzzled at the design: the "unique corrugated surface provides air circulation all around for better browning and even baking." How would that even work? I'd think that when you put cookie dough on the pan, the dough would be so soft it would flow into the corrugations, not sit on top of them, so you'd just get corrugated-bottom cookies rather than having air circulation underneath. Am I wrong?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I was looking for some new cookie sheets--i.e., ones with at least one rimless side so that cookies can be slid rather than lifted off, if need be.

I was looking at these at King Arthur. I was a little puzzled at the design: the "unique corrugated surface provides air circulation all around for better browning and even baking." How would that even work? I'd think that when you put cookie dough on the pan, the dough would be so soft it would flow into the corrugations, not sit on top of them, so you'd just get corrugated-bottom cookies rather than having air circulation underneath. Am I wrong?

Buy plain, uncoated metal like Chicago metallic uncoated or Nordic ware naturals.

USA pan makes the worst baking pans.

The coating on the pan conducts heat to intensely. It doesn’t matter what kind of pan or a baking sheet it will over bake everything.

Although you prefer a traditional cookie sheet, a jelly roll pan is actually a better choice. It’s much more versatile. A pan with no sides is limited in its use. It’s also not advisable to slide cookies off the side of the pan as you will damage them.

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove cookies from the oven, let them sit for approximately one minute, then gently remove them to a rack with a spatula to cool completely.

A rack should be elevated to allow air to circulate below it. I place drinking glasses on each corner of the rack to elevate it.

Commercial kitchens use plain uncoated metal bakeware because it provides better heat control. USA pan markets a poor performance product that is grossly overpriced to home bakers. You will ended up with dried out, over baked cookies. Plus that crappy coating will peel in a couple of years rendering the sheets useless.

 

[Scott]

Thanks. I pretty much always use parchment on the sheets, so I usually slide the parchment off with the cookies onto a cooling rack. When there's a rim, sliding the cookies over it (on the parchment) breaks them up. Without the rim everything slides off intact. I have loads of different half- and quarter sheets from a local restaurant supply place, but only one rimless sheet (rim on one side, actually). All are uncoated. I was just looking at the KA sheet and the claim about corrugated surface didn't make sense to me.

 

[MrsM]

I love these pans from Volrath, rimless, heavy aluminum. This is just one place to buy them, you can google Volrath baking sheets and perhaps find a better price. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vo...hKFZApEW5zrXBOkgfisUlgJ3BVGO1Ar0aAiePEALw_wcB

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I love these pans from Volrath, rimless, heavy aluminum. This is just one place to buy them, you can google Volrath baking sheets and perhaps find a better price. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vo...hKFZApEW5zrXBOkgfisUlgJ3BVGO1Ar0aAiePEALw_wcB

Volrath makes great stuff. It's one of my favorite brands. Unfortunately it’s not available in retail stores. Webstraurant shipping can be really high.

Some restaurant supply stores are open to the public, Scott should check his local restaurant supply stores first. Most of them carry Volrath since it's to the trade.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Thanks. I pretty much always use parchment on the sheets, so I usually slide the parchment off with the cookies onto a cooling rack. When there's a rim, sliding the cookies over it (on the parchment) breaks them up. Without the rim everything slides off intact. I have loads of different half- and quarter sheets from a local restaurant supply place, but only one rimless sheet (rim on one side, actually). All are uncoated. I was just looking at the KA sheet and the claim about corrugated surface didn't make sense to me.

You don’t want to leave the cookies on the parchment paper, because the moisture between the cookie and the parchment will leave the cookie softer than it should be.

So it’s important to get the cookie off of the parchment as soon as possible.

The claim that the USA pan makes about air circulation is bogus.

Baking happens when the metal heats, transfers into the dough/batter in direct contact with hot metal. baking is a chemical reaction of all of the ingredients to temperature and time.

In a cookie around 92°F butter melts

Butter is an emulsion of fat and water; butter separates at this temperature.

The water heats, then turns to steam.

The steam expands the dough.

Leavening will also be working in doughs that are leavened


At 122°F (50°C) starch gelatinization begins

At 144°F (60°C) protein denaturalization begins.

At 310°F (155°C) maillard reactions occurs.

At When the maillard reaction occurs the amino acids (proteins) and sugars break down then the two form into a single ring like structure. The new structure they form deflects light, so food has a distinctive golden caramelized color. But more important, when the amino acids and the sugars react together, they creates compounds that create new aromas and flavors.

When a dark color metal, coated metal, ceramic, and too high a oven temperature is used, or fan is used, the chemical reactions happen at the wrong temperatures. This creates a poor quality product.

The ingredients will also affect the chemical reaction (protein content, butterfat content, type of evening, etc)

but the type of metal used will affect the baking process.

The notion that air circulation is required is nonsense.

Now there are perforated baking sheets that are used for certain products. If that’s not the same, is this silly baking sheet USA pan is selling.

But you need a crisp bottom, you don’t need to buy a perforated baking sheet. You can use a perforated mat.

Vollrath 9002P Wear-Ever Full Size 18 Gauge 18" x 26" Wire in Rim Aluminum Perforated Bun / Sheet Pan

Ensure a fast and crispy bake with this Vollrath Wear-Ever 18 gauge full size perforated bun and sheet pan. Crafted from 3004 impact-resistant aluminum, this pan has a galvanized non-rusting rod in its beaded rim to help retain its shape even through repeated use. You can be sure that this pan...

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You would use a mat like this for pate a choux doughs

Sasa Demarle SILPAIN® SN-620-420-03 16 1/2" x 24 1/2" Full Size Perforated Silicone Non-Stick Baking Mat

Ensure adequate airflow around your bread and pastries, while guaranteeing a smooth product release from your 18" x 26" sheet pans, with this Sasa Demarle SILPAIN® SN-620-420-03 16 1/2" x 24 1/2" full size perforated silicone non-stick bread and pastry baking mat! This perforated baking mat is...

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