Baking Tins -Bake Trays

Baking tins come in thousands of different shapes and sizes and nowadays it is possible to find a tin to suit almost any type of cake that you wish to make. The first cooking pots were made from the shells of turtles or bamboo tubes sealed at the end with clay, these could contain liquids although could not be put on the open fire. Woven baskets coated in clay were also used and these were able to be put into open fires for cooking the food.

Metal baking tins

Later, when metal was discovered it was found that it conducted heat much more efficiently than ceramics and cast iron whilst slow to heat was the most efficient of all the metals as it could sustain an even, high temperature. During the Medieval period most homes would have a cast iron cauldron suspended over the fire for soups and stews and a cast iron bake oven (a shallow three legged pot with a lid) would be placed in the red hot embers of the fire to bake bread for the household.

Baking utensils

Originally baking equipment was simply made of copper with a lining of tin plate that prevented acidic foods like fruit from reacting with the copper. Initially they were only made in the most basic of shapes, round, square and rectangular but as metalworking skill improved, they were made in many wonderful shapes as moulds for jellies and cakes.

Care of baking tins

These baking trays however, were only available to those with money and most ordinary people had to make do with common tin ware which was prone to rusting and needed to be kept oiled or greased to prevent rust.

Baking tin materials

There are many materials that are used for baking sets today, stainless steel, aluminium, silicone, cast iron, copper, enamelware, ceramic, glass and a combination of these materials. The most recent innovation in baking tins is the introduction of silicone bakeware.

They are manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes and are useful for many fancy shapes as they are easy to turn out and do not need greasing before the mixture goes into them.

Baking mold kits

It is important to buy the best quality silicone moulds as the cheaper ones may distort in the oven and the resulting cake or buns maybe a strange uneven shape when they are cooked. Flat silicone baking sheets can be used time and time again and can be rolled up when not in use making them easy to store. Another relatively recent improvement in the quality of baking equipment was the introduction of non-stick bakeware which revolutionised baking in the early 1960’s.

Baking cups may be used for mini cakes or fairy cakes and before the invention of muffin tins or paper cases these would have been heavy individual ceramic cups or ramekins that were used for baking these little cakes. Some professionals may still prefer to use these individual moulds for their cup cakes. Cup cake liners are available in a variety of sizes to suit all tastes and requirements and are made in paper, foil or silicone. Silicone liners are very cost effective, as they are non disposable and can be used many times over they also stand up on their own which makes it very simple to fill them with the cake mixture. Many wedding parties are favouring beautifully designed cupcakes arranged on a tiered cake stand and covered with beautiful frosting as an alternative to the traditional wedding cake. The mini cakes may be boxed up after the celebration and sent on to those who could not attend.

First baking tins

When you buy you first set of baking tins be sure to buy the best you can afford as they will last a life time and may indeed be passed on to your children.