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So What is a Springform Pan?
Even if you haven’t heard of it by now, the chances are that at some point or another, you’ve probably seen one, especially if you’re into baking! The springform model is that round cake pan with removable sides and bottom. When it’s time for your baked goodies to come out of your over, you can open the sides through their interlocking bands, and completely remove them. It will leave a perfectly-shaped cake sitting on the base.
At first glance, things might seem pretty simple and straightforward, yet there are several essential aspects to consider when learning how to use a springform pan, which can make all the difference towards the perfect result.
How Does a Springform Pan Work?
As we said, there is a whole process behind using one to deliver flawless baked goods. It’s nothing too complicated, and if you follow the next simple guidelines with exactitude, you will be in for a highly rewarding and delicious culinary experience:
- Step 1: Before everything else, you have to make sure that the detachable bottom and sides are fitting in perfectly. You can use greased parchment paper for this purpose. It is not only important for the overall success of your recipe, but it will also help reduce or eliminate any possible leakage.
- Step 2: As soon as you have put together the sides and the bottom, close the inter-locking bands shut and slide your ingredients inside.
- Step 3: Bake your recipe until its ready, then leave for a while to cool off.
- Step 4: Much like in the case of regular pans, you either have a nonstick one, matter in which you can use either a scraper or a spatula to slide out the dish, or you have a regular one, for which you can use a butter knife in order to loosen the edges on the sides.
- Step 5: Unhinge the inter-locking bands of the sides, and remove them.
- Step 6: You can serve your dish as is, directly on the bottom, or you can remove the bottom, and gently lift the cake with a spatula or slide it onto a tray.
What can You Make in a Springform Pan?
The main springform pan uses involve delicate and fragile dishes that otherwise couldn’t be flipped out or easily removed. Here are some of the most popular things to make in a springform pan, which are not only delicious baked goods but also pretty advanced recipes:
Cheesecake, Ice Cream Cake
Any chef could argue that a springform pan for cheesecake is like a knife for butter. Unlike your regular frying models, which have an average depth of 3 inches, the best springform pan can reach anywhere between 6 to 12 inches, and this makes them perfect for desserts with thicker batters. And what better way to start, than with one of the most popular dessert recipes of modern times, the famous cheesecake. And when you will finish cooking it and wonder how to remove cheesecake from springform pan, nothing could be simpler: take a small rubber spatula, loosen the edges and then slide it underneath and transfer the cake onto a large plate.
But can I use a springform pan for regular cake? Of course, you can set your candy thermometer, and it will do the rest for you! And this is not the only thing that this handy cooking gadget can be great for. Coming right up, the second-best dessert of the moment, the savory ice cream cake! Now that you have a springform model, you can say goodbye to all those premade bland ice cream cakes available in stores, and go wild with your unique formula.
Deep-dish Pizza, Quiche, Soda Bread
And as soon as you have learned the basics of how to use a springform pan, you can jump to more complicated dishes. The first example that springs to mind have to be the delicious Italian deep-dish pizza. Press the dough on the bottom and lift the sides, then add the toppings you like best. You can’t go wrong with this one and, before you know it, you will be serving a jaw-dropping deep-dish pizza that will surely impress your friends and loved ones!
Another great dish you can try out now that you’ve learned the main springform pan uses is quiche. It is one of the most popular egged-based brunches in the world, and, as long as you make sure the eggs don’t leak, you should be able to deliver your homemade version. And you can also use it as a sauté pan, which is another win-win situation!
And since you just found out how to use a springform pan for cake, why not go for something crazy and sophisticated at the same time? From now on, you can bake your soda bread, and refine the original recipe as much as you like.
Pasta Dishes
Yes, we’ve saved the best for last! And yes, you read it right! As to why use a springform pan for pasta dishes, there are quite a couple of good reasons for it. Unlike with regular ceramic pans, when it comes to traditional pasta, you can cook much larger quantities at the same time. As for other delicious alternatives that rarely cross our minds, pasta pies and pasta bakes should sit right there at the top of your list!
How to Prevent Springform Pan Leaks?
There is one main downside to the tremendous break-apart design of springform pans, the increased risk of leakage. So, if you’re wondering how to use a springform pan and avoid leaks at the same time, here are the best tips we can offer:
- Cover the bottom with parchment paper and make sure that the margins stick out of the base.
- If you own a commercial kitchen, you might want to consider opting for one of the more advanced leakproof models, which have been specially conceived to avoid any leakage, right from the start.
- If you have a traditional model, you might want to avoid baking cakes with thin batters, as these will easily leak out of your pan.
Conclusion
And voila, our main dish is served: a lean guide on how and why use a springform pan, filled with intricate tips and delightful insight on the best meals you can cook and bake with it. We hope you have enjoyed our brief overview, our dedicated MyKitchenAdvisor testers surely did, and if you have any other crazy ideas and exciting uses for the springform pan, don’t hesitate to share!
