GLASS VS METAL PANS FOR BAKING

Glass & metal pans react very differently when heated. Metal pans heat up quickly & cool down quickly whereas glass pans heat up slowly & cool down slowly as well. To know about these differences will help you make a better choice when choosing one kind of pan versus the other. The pan/dish you choose to bake a particular recipe will have a major impact on the texture, look & taste of the final dish. So, let’s dig deeper & find out a little more about the kind of pan you should be using while baking.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GLASS BAKING PAN

• Retains heat better than glass. A glass dish heats slowly & cools down slowly as well, retaining heat which in turn keeps your baked good cooking for some more time even after you take it out of the oven/microwave. This is great if you want to serve a warm dessert at the table.
• Glass dishes are usually heavier & pricier than a metal baking dish.
• A glass dish usually bakes faster than a metal dish. So, the oven temperature needs to be adjusted accordingly so that your dish does not bake too quickly & burn.
• Glass is non-reactive with acids which makes it perfect if you are baking with berries or citrus fruits like oranges or lemons.
• Creates softer/more rounded edges on your baked goods.
• Is usually both, microwave & oven safe.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A METAL BAKING PAN

• Is a great conductor of heat & heats up & cools down quicker than a glass dish.
• A metal dish interestingly enough bakes slower than a glass dish though. So, you may need to add a few minutes to your cooking time if you replace a glass dish with a metal dish while baking.
• Metal reacts adversely with acids present in berries or citrus fruits. So, while working with them, it is best to stick to glass dishes.
• The darkness of the metal dish plays a role in the recipe as well. A darker coloured dish absorbs more heat than a lighter coloured dish.
• Metal dishes create a sharper/more defined edges on your baked goods.
• Can be used easily in an oven. It is not microwave safe unless used in the convection mode of the microwave.

WHAT IS BETTER FOR BAKING? GLASS DISHES OR METAL DISHES?

This might be a surprise for all glass dish lovers, but metal dishes are better when it comes to baking. Here’s why

• Sweets bake & brown more evenly in a metal pan.
• Metal pans cook the dish consistently while in glass pans, the outside is cooked before the insides.
• Metal pans create sharper more aesthetic looking edges while glass pans create a softer rounded edge.

Saying that, some baked goods like lasagna, baked pasta, casseroles, bread pudding are more suited to glass pans as the glass helps in showing off the layers as well as keeping the food warmer for longer.

WHAT TO BAKE IN A GLASS DISH?

• Pies- it is much easier to see the bottom of the glass dish & deduce if the base of the crust has cooked through
• Anything more acidic in nature like a berry crumble or while working with citrus fruits
• Bread pudding- the glass dish keeps the pudding warmer for longer while showing off its multiple layers
• Lasagna or baked pasta- the glass dishes keep the pasta warmer for longer & you can easily see the multiple layers of the dish

WHAT TO BAKE IN A METAL DISH?

There are multiple things that you can bake in a metal pan as it heats up evenly & quickly. It also lends a beautiful brown colour to the baked goods, cooks everything to perfection & even crisps up the baked goods. All the dishes listed below are much more suited to be baked in a metal dish as opposed to a glass dish.

• Cake
• Cookies
• Brownies
• Bread
• Granola bars

RECIPES FROM THE BLOG MADE IN A GLASS DISH

1. 90 SECOND MICROWAVE BROWNIE
2. MAGNUM LAVA PUDDING
3. HOT FUDGE CAKE

RECIPES FROM THE BLOG MADE IN A METAL DISH

1. EGGLESS LAVA CAKE
2. 100% ATTA BREAD – EGGLESS
3. PISTACHIO THUMBPRINT COOKIES

If you like the recipes mentioned here and happen to make them in your kitchen, do tag me on Instagram and share pictures with me using #Bakewithshivesh. Happy Baking!