In baking, the tools of the trade can sometimes make all the difference. We've asked bakers and employee-owners across King Arthur to point us in the direction of their favorite baking tools, and today Problem solversblogger PJ is sharing one of the great items these bakers can't live without.
* * *
What's the one part of baking you really don't like? Rotation raw piestr? Cooking yeast dough? How about putting “Happy Birthday” on a cake in the process of displaying your – um, less than perfect – handwriting?
For me it is none of the above. No, my main challenge is cleaning.
I have no problem washing mixing bowls and spoons; I like instant gratification. But painstakingly scraping dried sour bits off a wooden table? Wiping up the flour that got all over the counter while you were making cookie dough, and your scrubbing sponge gets wetter and more gooey by the second? Ick.
Enter your best friend in the kitchen: the powerful silicone mat, my favorite tool for getting tough cleaning jobs done. I use my mat for everything from rolling pie crust dough to prepare cinnamon bunsSHAPING dinner rolls AND bagelsand much more (eg cookie cutters – if I ever did!).
Basically non-sticky
In my experience, there's nothing quite as great as a great non-stick pan (hello, Calphalon).
But while this non-stick rolling mat isn't nearly as invisible, it's definitely less prone to sticking than your wood table or granite countertop—probably on par with a sleek (and much more expensive) pâtissier ), but oh- so much easier to handle and move. For best results, you'll want to lightly flour or lightly coat the mat before using.
What about silicone versus parchment? Again, stick-like resistance. But the advantage of the silicone mat is its durability: it stays firmly in place while you roll, unlike parchment (even parchment that's wet on the back), plastic wrap, or waxed paper, all of which can slip as you work.
PJ Hamel
Reduces cleaning by 90%
For me, the number one selling point for our silicone rolling mat is the fact that after you're done rolling out the pastry, forming the rolls or cutting the cookies – with all the leftover dough, butter smears and clumps flour those processes bring – simply pick up the carpet, return its contents to a trash can or trash can and rinse it in the sink (or put it in the dishwasher). No scratch and wipe counter; no rubber sponge to clean. Genius.
PJ Hamel
A mobile work surface
Another reason I love this silicone mat is its portability. “And what?” you are asking yourself. “It's not like I'm going to be rolling pie crusts in the bedroom or out on the picnic table.”
But what if every work surface is covered with other projects, as is often the case at Thanksgiving and other food-centric holidays? Or even more importantly – what if the only rolling surface you have is so high (or low) that it's not comfortable?
Yes, uncomfortable, as in awkward, as in putting strain on your shoulders and arms. The optimal height for working with dough (or any type of food preparation) is hip height; so if you are around 5' 6″, your typical 36″ tall counter is probably fine. But what if you're 5' 1” or 6' 2”? Or if you just like rolling on a lower surface so you can really put your back and shoulders to work? Find a desk or table at the right height, place your silicone mat on top and get rolling!
PJ Hamel
The best tool for perfectly shaped rolls and bagels
do you know how to shape rough pieces of dough into perfectly round, smooth balls? This is a key process in preparation dinner rolls, bagels, and many other buns. It's actually quite simple as long as you're working on the right surface…and a silicone mat is that surface.
Surface tension is the key to forming dough smoothly. If your rolling surface is too smooth or too rough, the dough will either slide or stick, never forming a smooth ball. But silicone, with its smooth but very faintly sharp surface, is great for round molding. I find that a rough piece of dough rolls effortlessly onto the silicone, shaping into a smooth ball with just a few quick turns: no flour or cooking spray is required.
Remove the ruler and measure
How often do your recipe directions say to roll the dough into a 13″ circle for the pie, or form the yeast dough into a 10″ x 12″ rectangle for cinnamon buns? You can find a long ruler or measuring tape, place it on the counter and roll out the dough or dough to the required measurements. But the ruler moves around. And accidentally sprinkle flour on it. And overall it's just a pain in the ass I know.
PJ Hamel
So how much easier is it when the visor is built right into your rolling surface? Each time I roll out the pie dough, I simply center the dough in the marked circle of the mat and roll it out from the center until the crust reaches the 13” mark. And as for those cinnamon buns: With markings for squares or rectangles up to 16″ x 22″, a simple 10″ x 12″ rectangle is – well, a piece of cake.
PJ Hamel
How to maintain your treadmill
Once you're done with your rug, you can fold it up and throw it in the closet; roll it into a tube and stick it back into its original box; or do as I do: just hang it on a hook near your work area where it's readily available. Because trust me – once you start using this mat, you'll want it close at hand.
Interested not only in this rotation mattress, but on a silicone baking mat? Try ours non-stick cookie sheet, with perfectly spaced cookie marks. But don't limit yourself to cookies: this mat is sized for one half sheet panso you can use it for all kinds of rolls, bread and pastry creations.
Cover photo by Kristin Teig.
