Silicone pans for pies?

[Mistral]

Anyone using silicone pans for pies and quiches? I was wondering if it is more difficult to line the flexible silicone pan with pastry and trim etc than the rigid tin variety?

The silicone pan is fluted as well.

[Azizeh]

I wouldn't do it.

I bought a square silicone cake pan to make brownies from the Ad Hoc cookbook. Thomas Keller says he likes silicone for the recipe. If I recall, it's because he doesn't want the edges to get crispy. Of course some people like that, but whatever. My edges still got fairly hard, but I'm just happy that I didn't have to serve the brownies to people. The pan flopped and broke my brownies right down the middle.

So, unless you're extremely careful, it's just a disaster waiting to happen. Now I just use the pan for caramels and fudge, since it just waits on the counter and the candy easily pops out.

[Normandie]

Aside from the flexibility-rigidity issue, every single source I ever read says that silicon products do not brown baked goods properly, which obviously then affects the fullness of flavor.

I'll confess right here right now that I have never used silicon pans, tins, molds, etc., but I have no interest in doing so. I can't see what the benefit is that I can't get from traditional bakeware.

[Mistral]

Thanks for the tip about browning. I will watch that one. I must say my muffins browned beautifully.

Silicone pans are so easy to store and clean. Roll them up and stick in a drawer.
And you don't need to use cake strips. I am still in the testing stage. We shall see how they rate.

[ThreeGigs]

ABSOLUTELY!
Have you ever seen silicone baking mitts? Good, I know you have. So if silicone insulates, why on earth would you use it in bakeware? Pie crusts are absolute failures in silicone, as is anything that depends on being heated through the cookware. Muffins are ok, as they're small enough to heat through, but I'd never try to do corn muffins in silicone, since I'd never get that good browned outside on their bottoms.

[Paulustrious]

Pies can work reasonably well if you bake them blind.

Heat will get through the slicone in the same way that the centre of a loaf gets cooked even though bread is an excellent insulator.

[PBSF]

Except for silicone sheets which save me a ton of parchment, all others are a waste of money. Try cutting a piece from a pie that jiggles.

[Mistral]

Hadn't thought about the cutting part. Good point!

[RGC1982]

I have to tell you that my only experience thus far has been with silicone cupcake molds, which I purchased a couple of Valentine's Days ago because they were heart-shaped. I found the pan awkward and had to hold it with a cookie sheet underneath it all the time. The cupcakes also stuck terribly, because I had to use a cooking spray since paper liners wouldn't fit, so I am not a fan. Maybe I needed to oil and then flour, I don't know, and maybe this will not be a concern with a pie. The wobbly muffin pan was really not something I enjoyed. I would hate to see something heavy like a pie not work out in it. That said, there are people who love silicone. Perhaps I just don't know how to use it.

[pikawicca]

I agree with you, completely. Avoid these things like the plague.

[Mistral]

I have only used silicone pans for muffins and have found them excellent. I did spray well first - no flour needed. Placed them on a pan - no wobbling.

I let them cool for 10 minutes and then just popped them out by pressing underneath. You MUST let them cool for 10 minutes otherwise they stick a bit. (This was contrary to the manufacturer's instructions which said to take them out immediately.) Came out beautifully!.

Tip - to clean I turned the silicone inside out and gently brushed and then popped into the dishwasher.

I put them on a tray to cook but raised the tray on a grid to allow plenty of air to circulate.
I found they cooked much better this way. My bottoms are still a bit overdone but this is probably me and not the pans. I have bought two silicone pans for layer cakes and will report back when I have baked.

I am told you won't need cake strips with silicone - baking is very even.

I do like the ease of cleaning and of course just rolling them up and storing in a drawer.

A friend is also using a muffins pan and says it is excellent. Another colleague says her muffins stuck to the pan but she did not spray.

Overall I want to bake more before passing judgment. but thus far I have been impressed.

[Mistral]

Please see my tip about allowing the cakes to cool for 10 minutes I had no problem but did spray well. Place the silicone pan on a metal tray - no wobbling.