You’re craving cookies, cake, or any baked item, so you decided to make it at home. You’ve prepared everything, starting to line the pan with parchment paper. Suddenly this thought comes into your mind- Do you need to grease and spray parchment paper?
Parchment is made from a coating that makes it non-stick, and greasing or spraying is done to make the surface non-stick. So greasing and spraying the parchment paper would be a useless thing to do.
Before thinking about greasing and spraying the parchment paper, you should know what exactly it is. Parchment paper is coated with a thin silicon layer either on one or both sides. This coating provides it with a non-stick and heat-resistant surface. That’s why it is commonly used for baking purposes and is found in almost every kitchen.
Its silicone coating makes it different from wax paper because it is coated with paraffin wax, making it non-stick, not heat-resistant. As a result, wax paper can get burnt when put in the oven, but parchment paper will not.
Most chefs advise that you don’t have to grease or spray parchment paper as it is already non-stick. It gets its non-stick surface by a thin layer of silicone coating. This coating not only makes it non-stick but also heat-resistant, grease-resistant, and moisture-resistant. It makes parchment paper a perfect choice during the whole baking process.
If you use grease parchment, then you’ll notice after your cookies have baked that they have a greasy texture on their bottom. When planning to grease your parchment paper, does not apply thick layers as you don’t want the greasy taste of cookies in your mouth.
Parchment paper is used during baking so that your deliciously baked items don’t get stuck to the pan and lose half of their parts while you try to remove them. It is available in rolls in the market just like aluminum foil and can be cut according to the size of the pan.
Yes, we know that we said you don’t have to grease and spray the parchment paper as it will make your cookies greasy. Look, it’s a paper after all so it’s not going to stay in the pan no matter how much you press it.
This means when you pour the cake batter into the pan, the parchment paper can move from its position and you’ll end up pouring the batter into the cake. So when you take out the baked cake, it will not be easy for you to remove it from the pan.
So to make the paper stay in the pan and let you have a delicious, perfectly shaped cake, you should grease or spray the parchment paper. But as we said earlier, if you grease it too much, it will give a greasy texture to your delicious baked items. So just a very thin coating of grease or spray would be fine to make the paper stay in the pan.
As spray comes in a bottle, there are no types to choose from. But, on the other hand, many things can help you grease the parchment paper or pan. So let’s take a look at them.
Butter is very commonly used to grease pans while baking. It’s light, takes less space, and is not costly. It is found in every kitchen and can be used while cold. Just take a piece of butter and start rubbing it in every corner using your hands. You can also melt it and then apply it using a brush.
Another most common type of grease is oil. Cooking oil is found in most kitchens, and it’s easy to apply. First, take a brush and dip it in the oil. Then apply the oil on each side to grease the pan properly.
The oil comes in spray bottles also to spray it on the pan.
Parchment paper is cut according to the size of the pan so that it fits properly. Cutting parchment paper for a square pan is easy, but it gets tricky when it’s a round pan. All you need to do is fold the paper in as many triangles as you can and then measure it on the pan. Cut the excess part, and you’re all set.
The conclusion is that there’s no need to grease the parchment paper as it already has a non-stick surface. However, if you still wish to grease, make sure you’re not overdoing it, as it will give your baked items a greasy texture and sometimes oily taste. Greasing parchment paper is not compulsory, but you can do it to make the paper stay in the pan properly. Greasing the parchment paper will press it and stay properly in the pan.