Parchment Paper

In my adventures in baking, I have definitely had my shares of failures, mistakes, forgetting to turn on the timer, mishaps, messes, and you-name-it amidst the times of having something turn out perfectly delicious. Isn't that the way it goes? Or a recipe just isn't what you thought it would be?

This surely doesn't turn me away from baking or cooking or creating, it is just a part of the process. And the fun = )

I've been baking most of my cookies as of late on parchment paper. Um, the best idea ever. Took me a long time to convert because I thought it would end up being a waste. Quite the opposite. One, I can reuse that same parchment paper over and over again. As long as I haven't contaminated with nuts or things that people might be allergic to, the paper holds up use after use. Just brush it off, fold it up, and stick it in the side of a cabinet. Ready for the next day. Two, my cookies come out just a little more evenly browned and I'm quite fond of this trick.

I hadn't, however, really ever used it for brownies or bar-style baked items.

Until yesterday.

I decided to give it a try. I was baking a double batch of brownies for a decorating party at youth group. I forgot to grab a big pan from church, so was baking in two of my own glass pans. One is a non-stick glass pan that Eli got me a few years ago. Amazing because you don't have to grease anything! The other is just a standard glass pan. So, I decided to line that one with parchment paper and see how they turned out.

Parchment paper-lined pan

Um, A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. The ones that came out of the parchment paper were decidedly more evenly baked, with not so hard edges as the other pan, and they were slightly more light. That's the best I can describe them as. Overall, I took a sliver from each pan, and there was a definite better crumb and texture from the parchment paper ones! I was kind of shocked, actually, because I didn't expect that big a difference. Now, truly, they were both still brownies and yummy, BUT, I just got totally sold.

Regular style!

Maybe this affects no one but myself ... but we are heading into the holidays, and I, for one, know that means more baking for me = ) So, I will definitely be putting the parchment paper to more use from now on.