Baking paper is supposed to be one of those ingenious kitchen inventions that makes life easier: no more sticking food to a baking sheet, no more rubbing off burnt fat, and no more direct contact with the precious metal that deserves a pension after ten rounds in the oven. But what if in practice it often turns out to be a source of frustration. It curls up, refuses to cooperate, escapes from the baking sheet just as you try to carefully place dough or crispy fries on it. Sound familiar?
Most of us make the same mistake – baking paper We use it as soon as we tear it off the roll, hoping that it will understand how to behave on its own. Unfortunately, that's not the case. All too often, it ends up as a stubborn coworker who refuses to follow instructions. But there's a very simple trick that turns this paper into the most obedient helper in the kitchen - it takes three seconds, but the results are completely professional.
How to Use Baking Paper Like a Pro (and Why It's Not Just "Some TikTok Trick")
Why does baking paper curl up at all?
Baking paper comes factory-rolled, which means it has a shape “memory” – a set of internal stresses that force it to return to its original, twisted shape. Even when you cut it, this memory is not erased. As a result, the edges curl up and the paper does not want to lie neatly in the baking pan. And if you have ever tried to bake something on paper that escapes from under the food, you know how quickly this “little inconvenience” can turn into kitchen chaos.
Simple trick: crush it
Solution? Simply crumple the baking paper into a ball. As tightly as if you were wrapping a precious memory of a failed biscuit in it. This mechanically breaks the factory structure of the paper and erases its “roll memory”. When you then open it, it becomes softer, more flexible and fits perfectly in the baking dish. No tricks, no extra fat, no stuck food.
Advanced version: slightly moisten the crumpled paper
For those who want even more control, there is a more advanced approach. After crumpling the paper rinse quickly under cold water and gently wring it out. The result? Damp paper that acts like a soft kitchen towel – it adheres perfectly to the edges of the baking dish, does not slip and has another advantage: at high temperatures it less likely to burn.
This technique is especially useful when baking vegetables, potatoes, fish or chicken, which are often high in moisture and fat. The damp paper helps to retain the juices and prevents the food from sticking to the metal. Just be careful: for cakes, biscuits and delicate desserts, stick to the dry version, as additional moisture can negatively affect the texture of the pastry.
Less mess, better results
In addition to staying in place and making it easier to handle, this method drastically reduces the amount of cleaning after bakingFood doesn't stick to the baking sheet, grease stays on the paper, and the baking sheet is often almost completely clean – meaning less time scrubbing and more time enjoying freshly baked food.
And what's more – if you like to bake without additional oil or butter, this trick is ideal. With its softness and fit, the paper itself ensures that the ingredients don't stick, without the need for additional fats.
Three seconds that will change your baking
Baking paper It's not his fault - it's our approach that's to blame. Instead of getting angry at his disobedience, we should simply crush and domesticateThis trick doesn't come from a highly specialized culinary academy, but from the real world – from the kitchens of those who bake often, quickly, and efficiently.
