7

Because honestly, I wouldn't be nearly so in love with my dutch oven without the advice I got on this site. And I really believe in getting one good lifetime tool, rather than a bunch of cheap ones.

I'm kind of creeped out by Teflon, and will probably skip coatings. I've read here that baking with the silicone cup-type things isn't necessarily any better than a metal pan.

Are there any metal types or finishes that give better baking results?

Improve this question
2
  • 2
    Muffins are very forgiving to pan material, you don't have to select it by heating properties. Just go for whatever is easiest to handle. I love my silicone cups, they are low maintenance and function perfectly.
    – rumtscho ♦
    Apr 28, 2011 at 13:24
  • 1
    @rumtscho people cook more than just muffins in these pans. Egg-based dishes for brunch, mini-meat loaves, cup cakes, etc. I'm facing the same dilemma as the OP. What metal (aluminum, stainless, cast iron)? Dark or shiny? Thick/heavy or thin? Coating or no coating?
    – mpoisot
    Oct 10, 2014 at 15:12

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
9

In general, the darker the color of the metal of the muffin tin the more it will brown its contents. You also want to look for a thick, durable metal as this will aid in even cooking. Finally, look for a tin with large, wide handles; the last thing you want to be doing is sticking your thumbs into a muffin when trying to insert/remove the tin from the oven! Most muffin tins these days are non-stick, so it may be hard to find one that is not. With that said, non-stick technology has advanced a bit since the Teflon-only days. For example, many modern non-stick pans/tins instead use other metals and ceramics that are not known to be harmful. Furthermore, some modern muffin tins are marketed as "metal-safe", meaning that one can use a metal utensil on them (e.g., to extract the muffins from the tin) without damaging the non-stick coating. Finally, muffin tins will likely never be heated to the temperatures at which the "dangerous" non-stick coatings release harmful gasses.

Improve this answer
6
  • Ceramics? That perks my ears. I'll have to read into that and "metal safe" - thanks for the info, and useful terms to research.
    – Kara Marfia
    Apr 28, 2011 at 19:05
  • Please explain science behind "the darker the color of the metal of the muffin tin the more it will brown its contents" in relation to being in a domestic oven?
    – TFD
    Apr 28, 2011 at 22:25
  • @TFD: I'm not sure about the science, but that's what Cooks Illustrated concluded as a result of their "experiments".
    – ESultanik
    Apr 28, 2011 at 23:04
  • 1
    @mpoisot infrared light in domestic oven? Mostly hot air
    – TFD
    Oct 10, 2014 at 20:39
  • 3
    @TFD toasting and broiling (esp with the oven door open) cook almost exclusively via infrared. If the calrods are glowing red-hot, they are radiating infrared heat onto your food. When baking infrared is less prominent, but the walls of the oven and calrods still shine infrared light onto your food. A dark pan will absorb more of this heat and pump it into the food than a shiny pan.
    – mpoisot
    Oct 13, 2014 at 16:57
2

I've had very good results with this pan:

http://www.centralrestaurant.com/Large-Crown-Muffin-Pan---12-Cup-Capacity-c78p14727.html

It's made from aluminized steel and in our experience has a few things going for it:

  • It's very heavy and holds its temperature well - haven't had uneven cooking that occurs in some older thin muffin pans we have.

  • It doesn't have the dark metallic finish that can sometimes cause things to brown faster than you might like.

  • It makes 20 nice sized muffins, so depending on your recipe, you may be able to get the full batch cooked in one shot and with one pan

  • It includes a recess at the top of each muffin so you get the nice looking muffin top that everyone loves - because awesome muffins are the whole point anyway, right?

Improve this answer
0

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.