The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Parchment paper problems

Angelo's picture
Angelo

Parchment paper problems

I've been having total hit or miss luck with my parchment paper. if I make something with oil, like foccacia bread, it sticks to it hard. If I make scones and just lightly spray it with oil, it seems I end up with either the paper sticking to the scones or the scones coming off just right.

 

I'm curious, could this be a quality issue with parchment paper? Am I just using cheap stuff (I just grabbed a box at the store)? Should I try to just find that oil "sweet spot"?

 

Any insights to the "subtleties" of parchment paper would be much appreciated. And yes I'm aware of silpads, I'd rather just use the parchment paper.

Roggie's picture
Roggie

I have always had very good luck using Reynolds parchment paper whenever I'm baking either scones or my Irish soda bread.

Elagins's picture
Elagins

Baking parchment is treated with silicon that releases when it's heated. Reynolds is good, but pricey, as are most retail brands (which also, by the way, are far heavier than what the pros use).

Stan Ginsberg
www.nybakers.com

bassopotamus's picture
bassopotamus

What is a good source for the pro stuff?

 

I've used tons of the reyonlds (which is the best of the store brands by far) but the cost is rough. I got my hands on a box of sheets from Sysco (friend was cleaning out a kitchen) but it was worthless. Everything stuck to it.

Elagins's picture
Elagins

we have 50 sheets 16x24 for 4.95 plus postage

bassopotamus's picture
bassopotamus

Thanks. That is a better price than the rolls, and no tearing. May have to order a box and see how it does.

rick.c's picture
rick.c

Are your sticking problems after things are cooked?  Parchment will stick, but releases with the application of heat.  I generally do not use any oil.

Rick

Roggie's picture
Roggie

Have you tried the non-stick Reynolds foil? I've been using this when making  the no-knead breads and so far no problems. I line plastic baskets with the foil when doing the second rise and then simply lift them out of the baskets and put them in the cast iron pot for baking. When the breads are done they release from the foil easily.

Roggie

flournwater's picture
flournwater

Just leave out the oil on the paper.  I think that's your problem.  If you must use something, try corn meal.  But I never use anything between my baked goods and the parchment.

Janknitz's picture
Janknitz

Do I understand you to say very oily doughs stick, or you oil the parchment and then have problems sticking?

If it's a matter of oily doughs, the oil in dough may evenutally soak into the paper.   I would wait to put it on the parchment until right before baking.  If it's that you oil the parchment, as others have already said there should be no need to oil the parchment--good parchment will not stick. 

There are a lot of parchment papers out there you can buy in bulk and save money, IF you have the money to buy in bulk in the first place.  But a bulk package would blow my budget for more than a month, nothing left for ingredients. 

At Whole Foods I get "If You Care" unbleached parchment paper costs about $3-4.   I bought this roll several months ago and have plenty left.   I like it better than Reynolds because you can use it in hotter ovens (Reynolds is not meant for temps over 425 degrees), it's narrower and longer so it goes farther (and costs less) and it's supposedly greener (unbleached, reusable, coated only with silicone).  According to the website for If You Care, many less expensive bulk papers are coated with Quilon which breaks down into a toxic substance. 

jannrn's picture
jannrn

Correct me if I am wrong...PLEASE!! But I always thought the point of parchment was not having to treat it with oil or sprays at all....the few times I have used it, I never sprayed or oiled it and had no problems with sticking. I use silicone mats at times that work well too. Hmmm.....I too hate tearing off the parchment and ALWAYS end up with more than I need. Time to go to NYBakers.com I guess!!

Jannrn

Angelo's picture
Angelo

Great responses here, and quickly too.

I wasn't aware that the point of parchemnt paper was to not treat it at all. I've been experimenting with recipes from the Bread Baker's Apprentice, and so far a lot of the recipes called for "spray oil on parchment paper, and transfer dough..." so I've been doing that, but by the time the dough has been worked hours later, the parchment paper is ready to fall apart.

 

With scones/cookies/garlic knots, and quicker baked things, I've found today that just spraying it a LOT less helped a lot. I tried spraying it not at all on one batch of scones, but then they stuck to the paper like they were part of it and tore if I tried to force them off. I tried using a bench scraper, which freed some, but just tore the paper mostly, and left me peeling 2903829038 strips off the scone itself lol.

Clearly it's not a quality issue, as I've been using Reynolds. I didn't realize it was such a good one, but from what everyone here feels, it's a top brand.

LindyD's picture
LindyD

I couldn't figure out why anyone would oil parchment paper (except when using it for retarding bagels overnight) so I checked the BBA.

Peter Reinhart notes at page 38 that "The silicon does not cause a release until it heats up to about 160F, so if you plan to move products around on the parchment, it is best first to mist the paper with spray oil."  [Emphais supplied]

That doesn't explain why he instructs in so many of his recipes (including simple breads like sourdough) to oil the parchment.  Perhaps he thinks we home bakers are fickle and move our proofed loaves around?  No idea.  He's the only author in my bread book library who makes such a recommendation.

I use parchment for everything and never oil it, except for bagels.  In that case, rather than spraying the parchment, I spray a paper towel and rub it over the parchment so that just a very light and uniform coating is applied.  Once the bagels are retarded overnight then boiled, they are moved to a fresh sheet of parchment and immediately to the hot baking stone.  I save the lightly oiled parchment for use on the next batch of bagels.

Angelo, I've found that it's best to wait until cookies and such have cooled a bit before moving them off my (unoiled) parchment.   I've never made scones and don't know why they would stick....unless maybe they were underbaked??

Elagins's picture
Elagins

i routinely retard my bagels on un-oiled parchment and have never had a sticking problem.

Stan Ginsberg
www.nybakers.com

colinwhipple's picture
colinwhipple

I frequently make scones, on parchment paper, and have never had them stick.

Colin

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

Never had an after baking sticking problem here either, whether or not any oil was used.

I have had problems of things(breads) sticking to wax paper.

Also using the store bought Reynolds brand. I have pieces that I have baked on innumerable times.

HeidiH's picture
HeidiH

Parchment paper need not be silicone (or anything else) coated.  Non-coated parchment paper is made smooth by washing the paper in acid.  I order Beyond Gourmet silicone-free parchment paper from Amazon.  It comes in 71 sq foot rolls and is pretty economical.  I haven't had anything at all stick to it.  There a variety of brands of "all-vegetable" parchment papers that are silicone-free, chlorine-free, and Quilon-free.