It’s the season for baking and entertaining. Ready to bake something special? You may have your Grandmother’s old recipe box, or maybe a new Pinterest recipe.

Some recipes that are simple to make but look decadent include Chocolate dipped strawberries, hand piped cookies, specialty pastries, croissants, and a trending favorite, French Macarons. There are several recipes for these do-it-yourself food gifts, and each holds in common the need for a quality silicone non-stick baking mat. A silicone baking sheet is the make or break piece for several baked goods including delicate batter cookies, puff pastry or flaky crust croissants. A silicone baking sheet we especially like is the Smarter Baking Silicone Baking Mat.

WHY USE A SILICONE BAKING MAT?

A silicone baking mat is exceptionally useful, easy to clean, and lasts for a very long time. It’s a must-have for items such as French Macarons or puff pastry. It is also useful for anyone who wishes to reduce calories or fats that come from “greasing” a baking sheet or pan.

SMARTER BAKING SILICONE BAKING MAT FOR FRENCH MACARONS

French Macarons sell for a pretty penny, but with some practice, it is easy to learn to make these lovelies yourself. A half-dozen French Macarons wrapped in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon make a great last-minute gift. The filling is easy; it is the actual cookie wafer that is the tricky part.

But with the right equipment, French Macaron making becomes much easier. While some people use parchment paper, the macaron can stick to the paper surface, making for a partially broken cookie wafer. Parchment paper also won’t stay in place while piping macarons, so a silicone mat is a superior macaron surface.

The Smarter Baking Silicone Baking Mat has five features that make it especially suitable for making the ideal macaron.

SMARTER BAKING SILICONE BAKING SHEET SUPERIOR FEATURES

We prefer the Smarter Baking Silicone Mat for making French Macarons and other delicate cookies because:

1. The cookies slide right off the sheet with no damage to the cookie.
2. The mat does not absorb any flavors or odors that can be imparted to your cookie.
3. A Smarter Baking feature we love is the Smarter Baking mat has a unique fiberglass weave that ensures an even baking temperature, which is a core requirement for making a success macaron. An even temperature is half the macaron battle.
4. The mat stays put while piping the batter.
5. The mat is transparent so any printable cookie shape templates for hearts, mouse ears, circles, etc., can be seen through the mat.

Some other features of the Smarter Baking Silicone Baking Mat:

• The half-sheet size is ideal for specialty or small batch treats and can fit into a mid-size convection toaster oven
• “Non-stick” really means non-stick with this baking mat: meats, cakes cookies, biscuits or bread: they all just slide right off the mat.
• Easy clean up of both the silicone mat and the metal pan, no greasy metal corners to clean off. Even when browned juices appeared “baked on,” it wiped right off for me.
• Save money by not using aluminum foil, parchment paper or cooking sprays.
• Save calories by not using oil, Crisco or butter to grease a pan.
• The consistent temperature feature of the fiberglass weave makes for even browning for reheated and frozen items. This feature is very useful for heating frozen restaurant-style, out-of-the-package appetizers and hors d’oerves.
• The reinforced border lays flat and even the edges don’t warp or curl.
• The mat withstands high and low temperatures and can go from the refrigerator to the oven.

TESTING THE SMARTER BAKING SILICONE BAKING SHEET

I tried the Smarter Baking Silicone Baking Sheet with a few recipes including biscuits, cookies, and of course, French Macarons. It was also useful for reheating frozen pastry pocket sandwiches and breaded items; they browned consistently without burnt edges.

The sheet was easy to clean, and there was no need to grease the sheet.

Each recipe was cooked evenly inside and out. Everything slid right off the mat easily, even sticky items like caramelized pastries and bread.

MAKING FRENCH MACARONS WITH THE SMARTER BAKING MAT

Now that you have found an ideal silicone baking sheet for delicate cookie recipes, check out Quite A Kitchen French Macaron Recipe and our Thirteen Tips for Making the Perfect French Macaron to make French Macarons yourself!

Find the Smarter Baking Mat at Amazon