I need to line my round cake pans with baking paper. My recipe book shows how it is to be done, by folding the paper into a cone, and then cutting it according to the radius of the pan. Unfortunately, the instructions are poorly worded, and the picture is confusing. I have been at this almost 3 hours, and I know I won't be able to sleep until I find the answer. Please, would someone be able to tell me how this is done? I know there may be another way to do it, but I do not want an approximation. I want to do it the RIGHT way and PERFECTLY. Please, my geometry and spacial manipulation skills are 0, so a highly detailed explanation is required, since I am obviously too stupid for the abbreviated one found in my book. I think I am going nuts. I want to sleep, but I can't until I know I can do this! :x
Please help with lining cake pan with baking paper
- Thread starter jasonr
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It's alright. I finally figured it out last night after I posted. It wasn't working because the paper I was cutting was not long enough. In case, if anyone's interested, here's how it's done:
Take a good sized rectangular piece of baking paper, at least as big as a half sheet pan. Fold the paper in half, using the short sides, and then again, also using the short ends. Then, with the long side facing you, take each corner of the short end and fold it to the long end, so that the two triangles meet in the middle, and you have one large triangle, with the point located where the center of the original half sheet used to be. Fold both sides in again, until you have something resembling a paper airplane. Then measure the radius of the pan, and measuring the same distance from the tip of the cone, cut at that point.
Take a good sized rectangular piece of baking paper, at least as big as a half sheet pan. Fold the paper in half, using the short sides, and then again, also using the short ends. Then, with the long side facing you, take each corner of the short end and fold it to the long end, so that the two triangles meet in the middle, and you have one large triangle, with the point located where the center of the original half sheet used to be. Fold both sides in again, until you have something resembling a paper airplane. Then measure the radius of the pan, and measuring the same distance from the tip of the cone, cut at that point.
Otter
Sous Chef
I may not understand what you are trying to accomplish, but couldn't you just:
1). trace around the pan and then trim slightly smaller so it fits the bottom
2). measure the height and cut a long strip that width to use for the sides
1). trace around the pan and then trim slightly smaller so it fits the bottom
2). measure the height and cut a long strip that width to use for the sides
mudbug
Chef Extraordinaire
what's wrong with just greasing and flouring the pan?
southerncook
Senior Cook
mudbug, I've found that lining the pan really gives good results, no more center of the cake sticking to the bottom of the pan. It's a little more work, but after you get the hang of it, you'll never be w/out parchment paper again. I bought the silpat mats for my cookie sheets though, and another for rolling pastry- very easy clean up, but I still have to sweep the floor after I bake anything. I think it's cause I'm always doubling the recipe and my kitchaid just hits that flour and it's everywhere. I've learned to lay a dishcloth over the top of the thing to reduce the wear and tear on my clothes!
mudbug
Chef Extraordinaire
SC, I have and use parchment paper and my Silpat. l have insulated metal cake pans that seem to work pretty well without the paper, but I will give it a try to see if I get a diff result.
Being an non-mechanical type, I will just trace out the outline of the pan instead of attempting that origami thing jasonr figured out.
p.s. I know watcha mean about the flour mess.
Being an non-mechanical type, I will just trace out the outline of the pan instead of attempting that origami thing jasonr figured out.
p.s. I know watcha mean about the flour mess.
It isn't possible to trace properly within the pan, because the paper gets crumpled, and it's almost impossible to make a clean cut. Tracing the outline of the pan on the outside won't work either, because it does not account for the width of the pan walls. If you do this, your circle will end up about 1/8 of an inch too large for the interior of the pan. Yes, I could surely improvise another way of doing it, or just go with the greasing and flouring alone, but that's hardly the point. This was what my book suggested, and it is clearly the most accurate and efficient way of proceeding. I'll be damned if I'm going to be defeated by a piece of baking paper, and a simple geometry problem that any pre-schooler should know how to solve!
crewsk
Master Chef
jasonr, I love your spunk & attitude toward this piece of paper!!
jasonr said:
Darned tootin', Tiger! CHARGE!!!!!
Jasonr, this is one of many reasons why I dearly love being married to an engineer -- he can line a pan (using your method) in about 30 seconds and with a perfect fit every time. Darned handy that!
Keep at it. You'll have this mastered in no time!
mudbug
Chef Extraordinaire
jasonr, I wasn't criticizing, sheesh! It is possible to cut out one's traced circle INSIDE the trace lines to account for the slight difference in outside/inside pan width. And I would do the tracing with the pan lying ON TOP of the paper.
BTW, I got my good grades in foreign languages and literature -- not math, and especially not geometry. If that makes me a pre-schooler in your estimation, so be it.
Gotta take my dumb butt off to Costco to get someone to help me find the pecans.....
BTW, I got my good grades in foreign languages and literature -- not math, and especially not geometry. If that makes me a pre-schooler in your estimation, so be it.
Gotta take my dumb butt off to Costco to get someone to help me find the pecans.....
"Jasonr, this is one of many reasons why I dearly love being married to an engineer -- he can line a pan (using your method) in about 30 seconds and with a perfect fit every time. Darned handy that! Wink"
I have the heart of an engineer, but not the brain, sadly That's why it took me almost four hours to figure this damn thing out. But I just bought some paper and did the cutting, and it worked. Halleluja.
"BTW, I got my good grades in foreign languages and literature -- not math, and especially not geometry. If that makes me a pre-schooler in your estimation, so be it. "
It makes us both pre-schoolers. Math and geometry aren't my forte either. In fact, I'm pretty bad at moving shapes and objects in general. I guess you'd call this spacial reasoning or whatnot. Either way, I don't have it. My next big challenge is figuring out how to make a piping bag with baking paper. I'm tired of paying $5.00 a bag when I could make my own disposable ones (more sanitary) for pennies! But the piping bag problem is even more difficult. I'm leaving that to another time though; I don't need more than one heart attack a week. I'm only 24, after all
I have the heart of an engineer, but not the brain, sadly
That's why it took me almost four hours to figure this damn thing out. But I just bought some paper and did the cutting, and it worked. Halleluja."BTW, I got my good grades in foreign languages and literature -- not math, and especially not geometry. If that makes me a pre-schooler in your estimation, so be it. "
It makes us both pre-schoolers. Math and geometry aren't my forte either. In fact, I'm pretty bad at moving shapes and objects in general. I guess you'd call this spacial reasoning or whatnot. Either way, I don't have it. My next big challenge is figuring out how to make a piping bag with baking paper. I'm tired of paying $5.00 a bag when I could make my own disposable ones (more sanitary) for pennies! But the piping bag problem is even more difficult. I'm leaving that to another time though; I don't need more than one heart attack a week. I'm only 24, after all
htc
Head Chef
I do what Otter mentioned all the time. When I first started baking birthday cakes for family and friends, sometimes my cake would end up sticking to the bottom of the pan (even tho I greased the pan really well), and so as I watch FN more, I saw people used parchment paper.
The one thing I didn't have the patience for is the folding up the paper and cutting it like Jasonr has learned to do. I just trace and cut. My cake never sticks to the pan now.
Can someone tell me why pastry chefs teach the folding and cutting way? Maybe my level of baking doesn't require the precision??? Just curious. Thanks!!
The one thing I didn't have the patience for is the folding up the paper and cutting it like Jasonr has learned to do. I just trace and cut. My cake never sticks to the pan now.
Can someone tell me why pastry chefs teach the folding and cutting way? Maybe my level of baking doesn't require the precision??? Just curious. Thanks!!
jkath
Hospitality Queen
Jason, I love that you are OCD like me ....."must be perfect...must be perfect...must be perfect..." you rock.
You know what? I hated geometry, but aced art. Therefore, when doing something like that, I make the perfect circle like an artist: a pencil, with a piece of string tied to it...then, hold the loose end of the string with your finger in the middle of the paper, and use the pencil (a la compas) to draw your circle. et Voila! A perfect circle. I wish I was there to help you - I feel your pain, buddy!
You know what? I hated geometry, but aced art. Therefore, when doing something like that, I make the perfect circle like an artist: a pencil, with a piece of string tied to it...then, hold the loose end of the string with your finger in the middle of the paper, and use the pencil (a la compas) to draw your circle. et Voila! A perfect circle. I wish I was there to help you - I feel your pain, buddy!
"Can someone tell me why pastry chefs teach the folding and cutting way? Maybe my level of baking doesn't require the precision??? Just curious. Thanks!!"
Well, after you figure out how to do it, it is actually the fastest and most accurate way to make paper circles for round pans. Once I have the radius of the pan, I can make two perfect circles in mere seconds. I imagine this is emphasized by professionals because in a busy pastry kitchen where things have to be mass produced, they cannot afford to waste time like us amateur home chefs.
"You know what? I hated geometry, but aced art. Therefore, when doing something like that, I make the perfect circle like an artist: a pencil, with a piece of string tied to it...then, hold the loose end of the string with your finger in the middle of the paper, and use the pencil (a la compas) to draw your circle. et Voila! A perfect circle. I wish I was there to help you - I feel your pain, buddy!"
That's a great idea. I was actually searching my parents' house for a compass (my little sister keeps hers at school, unfortunately) but that string idea sounds like an innovative substitute for one!
Well, after you figure out how to do it, it is actually the fastest and most accurate way to make paper circles for round pans. Once I have the radius of the pan, I can make two perfect circles in mere seconds. I imagine this is emphasized by professionals because in a busy pastry kitchen where things have to be mass produced, they cannot afford to waste time like us amateur home chefs.
"You know what? I hated geometry, but aced art. Therefore, when doing something like that, I make the perfect circle like an artist: a pencil, with a piece of string tied to it...then, hold the loose end of the string with your finger in the middle of the paper, and use the pencil (a la compas) to draw your circle. et Voila! A perfect circle. I wish I was there to help you - I feel your pain, buddy!"
That's a great idea. I was actually searching my parents' house for a compass (my little sister keeps hers at school, unfortunately) but that string idea sounds like an innovative substitute for one!
chefcyn
Cook
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2004
- Messages
- 73
I make parchment circles, and if you plan it right, you can get two out of a half-sheetpan-sized piece,
but Cook-Eze cake and pastry liners are much easier--I found them at my local small kitchen shop. Since I started using them, I'm a happier baker!. They come in different sizes and shapes for cookie sheets, 9 x 13 pans, squares, etc. The ones I use are the 9" round cake pan size. I had to trim off about 1/4" all the way around to fit exactly in my pans (insulated cake pans) but they work just fine.
I rinse them as soon as I remove them from the pan and hang them on the edge of my dish drainer to dry, and store them in their tube. They were also only $9.95--cheaper than sil-pat, sized for my uses and reuseable many, many times.
http://public.fotki.com/chefcyn/posting_pics/
This link will take you to a pic of the label and one of the sheets. Click on the thumbnail there to see it full size.
The company that makes them is Katchall Industries International, 5800 Creek Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242
PS this isn't an advertisement, I really like this item and recommend it to fellow bakers.
but Cook-Eze cake and pastry liners are much easier--I found them at my local small kitchen shop. Since I started using them, I'm a happier baker!. They come in different sizes and shapes for cookie sheets, 9 x 13 pans, squares, etc. The ones I use are the 9" round cake pan size. I had to trim off about 1/4" all the way around to fit exactly in my pans (insulated cake pans) but they work just fine.
I rinse them as soon as I remove them from the pan and hang them on the edge of my dish drainer to dry, and store them in their tube. They were also only $9.95--cheaper than sil-pat, sized for my uses and reuseable many, many times.
http://public.fotki.com/chefcyn/posting_pics/
This link will take you to a pic of the label and one of the sheets. Click on the thumbnail there to see it full size.
The company that makes them is Katchall Industries International, 5800 Creek Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242
PS this isn't an advertisement, I really like this item and recommend it to fellow bakers.
I never liked the folding method to cut out the round. I think it was invented by chefs who were too lazy to grab a pair of scissors and used their chef's knives instead.
I just put the pan on the paper, trace with a pencil, then cut out with a pair of scissors.
These days, I don't line the pan. I use a professional spray on release. It already has flour in it. Even intricate bunt pans release cakes perfectly. It's called Bak-klene.
I just put the pan on the paper, trace with a pencil, then cut out with a pair of scissors.
These days, I don't line the pan. I use a professional spray on release. It already has flour in it. Even intricate bunt pans release cakes perfectly. It's called Bak-klene.
