Cooking is an integral part of life. Most people cook to feed themselves and their families. But for some originals, cooking is a hobby that helps you relax.
To facilitate the cooking process, come up with new appliances, apply new materials. In recent years, silicone utensils have gained great popularity. Use it, including when cooking baking.
Sometimes, for those who have started working with silicone, the question arises: is it possible to put the silicone form in the microwave when cooking food? This article will give you a detailed answer. Below are tips and tricks for the proper use of silicone utensils.
Can I put a silicone mold in the microwave?
Silicone forms can be used for baking, stewing and baking in the microwave. But always before buying, you should pay attention to the instructions for use. As a rule, it indicates whether the form can be used in the microwave or not. An assistant in this matter will also serve as an icon on the packaging in the form of a microwave oven.
The form defines the content
Silicone mold can be used in the microwave. But when cooking in the microwave, you need to give preference to dishes in the form of an oval or cylinder. When using the microwave, use small containers. The choice is best to stop on a wide, but shallow dishes. This form contributes to a more even distribution of heat.
For the preparation of pasta or cereals, large forms will fit with the extension to the top. For baking, use batch molds or dishes with high sides, because in the microwave the dough rises higher than in the oven. To simplify the process of working with baking, you should acquire forms with a minimal decor, smooth edges and without bends. So you can get rid of problems when removing the dough from the mold and when washing dishes after cooking.
How to choose a silicone mold?
When buying silicone dishes, you should pay attention to a number of important characteristics:
- If not packaged, you can check how the mold smells. If you feel a strong smell of rubber, chemistry, you should refuse to buy.
- Preference should be given to products of neutral colors, when painted in bright colors, as a rule, unsafe chemicals are used. And the answer to the question whether it is possible to put the silicone form in the microwave in this case, will be clearly negative. Chemistry will evaporate when heated.
- When bending the product, no white mark should remain on the bend site.
- The country of production is not of great importance. High-quality goods are offered by both manufacturers in the United States and Belarus.
Advantages of Silicone Molds
The advantages of the described products are enough:
- The dough does not stick to the walls of the mold.
- A wide selection of sizes and configurations, patterns and patterns on dishes.
- They are suitable for baking any kind of dough.
- In silicone, you can not only bake, but also bake, stew.
- The material is resistant to high temperatures, can withstand up to 250 ° C, which gives greater freedom in choosing recipes and cooking methods.
- Silicone molds are convenient to store: they can be folded, bent, twisted - they will return to their original form without deformation.
Recommendations for baking in silicone molds
We found out whether it is possible to use silicone forms in the microwave, but before pouring or laying dough in them, you need to grease the bottom and walls of the dishes with vegetable or sunflower oil. The mold should be installed on the stand, then pour in the semi-finished product. Otherwise, there is a risk of spilling the contents during transfer to the microwave, because the walls of the form are very flexible. Here are a couple more tips:
- When preparing the dough to be baked in the microwave, make it more liquid than usual so that the finished product does not become dry after baking.
- Microwave heating runs from the edge to the center. Because of this, the center of the product will bake longer. You can check the readiness of baking with a toothpick by sticking it in the product. If the toothpick is dry, baking is ready, if not, continue the cooking process.
- The ideal form for the microwave is round. If this is not the case, put a glass of water in the center of the container. In a square shape, the corners of the product may dry.
- Do not pour the dough to the brim, as it will rise during baking.
- After extracting the finished product from the microwave, it is allowed to stand for 5-7 minutes, after which it can already be pulled out of the mold. If the baking sticks to release it, the edges of the silicone are carefully bent outward with a spatula.
Please note that when cooking in the microwave, you can not line its bottom with foil. This may cause damage to the equipment.
Rules for using silicone molds
Using dishes made of silicone, you need to follow a number of rules, then the product will last a long time:
- Silicone dishes are rarely sold in sterile and sealed packaging. It should be washed immediately after purchase in order to clean it of dirt that could clog into the recesses. After washing, the product should be thoroughly dried before use or storage. No moisture should remain on dishes.
- Before the first use, the mold must be thoroughly greased with oil, preferably vegetable, to process all the recesses and grooves, without leaving dry areas. Excess oil can be poured. The form should be left oiled for 10-15 minutes so that the fat is absorbed a little.
- Is it possible to bake in silicone form in the microwave? If the microwave oven has a “grill” mode, silicone dishes will not work for him.
- No need to cut pastries directly in the mold, as well as pull out the finished product using metal appliances. These actions will ruin the dishes.
- Do not store silicone near a heat source.
- The use of aggressive cleaning agents and hard sponges will lead to premature wear of the material.
- Silicone must not come in contact with an open flame.
Readers now know whether it is possible to put a silicone mold in the microwave. And the rules set forth in the article will facilitate cooking in a microwave oven and extend the life of silicone dishes.