I love parchment paper for baking. I use it with cookies and pies (I don't make cakes very often--no-one to eat them). But I am particularly in love with it for brownies, bar cookies, and breads baked in a loaf pan. I cut the parchment paper so that it fits along the long side of the pan, across the bottom, and back up the second long side, with about 2 inches sticking up (but not so much that when it's folded down the outside, it's below the bottom of the pan). Then, I fold the extra down the outside on each side and hold in place with binder clips, grease the exposed short sides, and pour in the batter or place the dough. After baking, I can let cool a few minutes, loosen the non-parchment sides with a knife, unclip the binder clips (careful, they're hot) and using the parchment "handles" neatly lift the entire pan of brownies or bar cookies or bread loaf right out. No struggling to get that first brownie out of the pan without wreaking havoc. So, so easy to cut them into squares. No more lopsided loaves from trying to shake the bread out of the pan. I even use it in my bread machine when I make shaped loaves and bake in the machine. I have to forego the binder clips, though. I won't bake anything I have to lift out of a pan without it.

• Reply