Hardware & Software: Parchment Paper

It's far more versatile than waxed paper, aluminum foil or paper towels.

Hardware & Software: Parchment Paper

It's far more versatile than waxed paper, aluminum foil or paper towels.

Many home cooks dismiss parchment paper as an exotic tool for baking.  But it's not so.  Take a closer look because we think once you start using it in regular cooking, you'll never want to be without it. 

What is parchment paper and how is it different than wax paper?  Parchment paper is silicone-coated (no, it's not Teflon), non-stick, and it resists burning to 450º F which makes it easy to use in the oven.  In contrast, wax paper is, as its name suggests, an inexpensive paper that's coated on one side with wax.  Where wax paper is hard to fold, fragile and flammable (not to mention the smells and food perils of melting wax), parchment paper is versatile and robust.  It costs more than wax paper, but good quality parchment can be reused and repurposed, meaning you can use a sheet to roll out cookie dough, use the same piece of parchment to line your baking sheet, and then turn the sheet over and use it again to bake a second batch of cookies.

How To Use Parchment Paper

We put parchment paper on our short list of kitchen essentials because it is far more multi-purpose than either foil or wax paper or plastic wrap:


What can't you do with parchment?  Don't use it under the broiler because it will brown and crumble, and possibly burst into flame.

Most supermarkets and kitchen supply stores sell parchment paper on a roll, boxed like plastic wrap with a metal edge for easy cutting.  Pre-cut sheets the size of a sheet pan (about 16" x 24") can be a better value but they're sold at kitchen supply stores in large quantities so you'll need a place to store them.

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