While most people are picky when it comes to choosing a recipe, it's sometimes difficult to know which tool is best for the job. This is especially common when it comes to bakingoven, and while the age of the yeast or the quality of the cocoa powder is important, so is the baking pan. And a common area of confusion is whether to use metal or glass.
The science of baking involves complex chemical reactions that occur when you place batter or dough in the hot environment of an oven. This is why the material of the pan is important and can significantly change the result. Here we break down the pros and cons of using metal and glass.
Conductivity
The Metal and glass have different thermal conductivity, which means they transport and transfer heat differently. SecondAJ Bates, professor of chemistry atSkyline College in California, metal heats up quickly while quickly conducting heat to whatever you're cooking (metal cools even faster). He explained that glass, on the other hand, has a higher specific heat capacity, meaning it requires more energy and time to heat up and retains heat after being removed from the oven.
Baking in metal means you can bake a dessert until the center is done, remove it from the oven, and not have to worry about the pan continuing to cook the edges. Glass, however, will retain the heat and continue to cook the contents, resulting in an undercooked center or an overcooked edge, or thick both.
Glass and metal react differently to ingredients
Acidic ingredients such astomatoesand citrus fruits can react with aluminum (the most common metal used in kitchenware), creating a metallic taste in food. This is why lasagna and other casseroles with acidic ingredients are often cooked in glass. The smooth, smooth glass surface is also naturally non-stick, making it easier to clean cooked cheese and other crunchy ingredients.
Practical use and storage
Metal is quite durable and can take a beating in a busy kitchen, while glass is fragile and heavy and requires a little more care in cleaning and storage. Some glass can also undergo thermal shock, meaning it cannot withstand extreme temperature changes.
For example, if you move a glass dish from the freezer to the oven or from the hot oven to a cold stove, the glass may shatter. The exception is borosilicate glass, which is more resistant to thermal shock than other types of glass (which is why it's often used to make microwave-safe cookware, like this set from Anyday). However, keep in mind that most common glass baking pans are not borosilicate.
Metal doesn't have this problem, allowing you to chill a pie crust in the freezer before moving it directly to the oven to bake.
Glass can also be difficult to store as pans are often inconsistent in size, as well as heavy and thick. If you have pets or curious young children, or simply don't have a lot of storage space, opt for metal baking pans.
Attractiveness matters
Baked goods served directly from the baking dish can benefit from a beautiful glass or ceramic dish.Alanna Taylor-Tobin, author ofBaker Alternativesand blogger ofThe Bojon Gourmet, recommends cooking tarts, chips and crumbles in glass or ceramic. “I love using attractive ceramic and glass baking dishes for dessertsfruit. The plate retains heat, keeping the dessert warm, and it looks great too! So sweet like my croquettesappleswith flouralmondsthey can go from the oven straight to the table for an easy but dinner-worthy dessert,” she says. However, if the dessert is removed from the plate before serving, as in the case of brownies, cookies or bars, a metal option will give you a more attractive final product because the edges and corners of a metal plate are often a ideal 90- degree angle, creating a perfect square or rectangle.
So, which cooking is better? Glass or metal? The answer: It depends on what you're preparing
Most desserts such as brownies, cookies, bars and cakes are best baked in a metal baking dish. The metal conducts heat evenly and efficiently, allowing baked goods to heat and rise evenly from edge to center, cooking at the same rate. Desserts such as fruit tarts, crisps and crumbles, as well as savory casseroles, are best prepared in a glass dish. Glass retains heat better, keeping the food warm and the food can go directly from the oven to the table.
One thing to note about pies and tarts: Many recipes and articles will tell you to bake pies in glass, and it's true that glass has the added benefit of being transparent—you can easily see if the pie crust is done. But if you're an experienced baker or want your pie to have an extra flaky crust, metal is a better option. The pie crust is flaky because there are bits of butter between the layers ofpasta. Once heated, the butter melts and the water in the butter createsvapor, which gives the crust layers and flaking.
Glass heats up faster than elegant stoneware cake pans, but metal heats up even faster, creating an evenly golden crust with lots of flaking. And, with metal, you can place the pie crust in the freezer to cool the dough completely before moving it to the hot oven, which is riskier with a glass pie pan, since it can shatter.
Keep in mind that pastry chefs are divided on the type of cake pan they prefer, with many recipes developed with glass cake pans. If you choose metal as your cake pan, the baking time may be shorter and will need to be adjusted.
Tips for cooking in glass instead of metal
If you only have glassware at home and don't want to buy metal pans, you'll want to adjust the cooking time and temperature.Kristina Razon, former editor ofSerious Eatsand a passionate baker, suggests lowering the temperature of the recipe by about 4 degrees and increasing the cooking time by 5-10 minutes. Keep in mind that glasses continue to retain heat longer than metal pans, so you may want to also remove the pan from the slightly al dente oven and let the residual heat continue to cook the dessert while it sits.
Use what works for you
| Pros and cons of glass and metal | ||
|---|---|---|
| GLASS | METAL | |
| PROFESSIONALS | -Retains heat and keeps food warm -Great for serving food -Easier to clean |
-Great for conducting heat evenly -Light -Durable -Easy to store -Creates nice, sharp edges and corners |
| AGAINST | -More prone to thermal shock and breakage -Heavy |
-It's not that nice to serve -Reacts to acidic ingredients -More difficult to clean |
One last thing to consider: If you have favorite recipes that work with the pans you own, there's no need to change what you're making! Know your kitchen and equipment better. Every kitchen is different and every oven is different. If you have a favorite brownie recipe that works perfectly in your favorite glass baking dish, then keep baking it. You may have already adjusted your time, temperature, and cooking method to accommodate the glass material, that your oven cooks at slightly lower temperatures than most ovens, or that you have family members who love soft and slightly undercooked inner pieces and others who fight over the crispy corner pieces.
But if you're trying a new recipe or trying to figure out why your cookie bars always turn out hard and undercooked at the edges and undercooked and raw in the center, try baking a batch using a metal baking pan instead of a metal one.glass. You may find that changing pans is all you need to make the recipe work.
Frequent questions
What is better for baking: glass or metal?
For baked goodies like cakes, cookies, and brownies, metal is better. Most of the recipes are designed and developed for metal pans and you will be able to replicate the recipe at home if you use a similar pan. For fruit desserts such as tarts, chips and crumbles; desserts that have a lot of acidity such as citrus fruits; or savory dishes such as casseroles, glass is probably better, as it is non-reactive and easier to clean; It also keeps food warmer for longer, which is great for serving.
What's the best way to clean glass and metal baking pans?
The best way to clean a glass pan is to wash it by hand with warm soapy water. Soak the pan first if there are cooking residues; This will soften and loosen the gunk, allowing you to remove it more easily with a sponge. Avoid abrasive sponges as they can scratch the glass surface.
To wash metal baking pans, first soak the pan in hot, soapy water if there are crumbs, but usually a sponge and hot water will remove most residue. Your glass or metal baking pan may also be dishwasher safe, but check the manufacturer's cleaning and care instructions before placing it in the dishwasher. And keep in mind that some cookware may be listed as dishwasher safe, but harsh dish detergents can corrode or shorten the life of the dish.
