Sheet pan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sheet pans or baking trays (British English) are flat, rectangular metal pans used in an oven. They are primarily used for baking of flat products such as cookies, sheet cakes and jelly roll cakes.

These pans, like all bakeware, can be made of a variety of materials, but are primarily aluminum or stainless steel. The most basic sheet pan is literally a sheet of that material. Common additional features that may be found in sheet pans include:

• A lip on one or more edges to prevent food from sliding off.
• Handles to aid in placing the pan into the oven, and removing it again.
• An insulated bottom designed to protect delicate food from burning.

Professional sheet pans used in commercial kitchens typically are made of aluminum, with a (1", 2,5 cm) raised lip around the edge, and come in standard sizes. The full-size sheet pan is 26 by 18 inches. A half sheet is 18 by 13 inches. Quarter sheets are 13 by 9 inches. The half sheet is approximately the same size as mass-market baking sheets found in supermarkets. Other commercial kitchen equipment, such as cooling racks, ovens, and shelving, is made to fit these standard pans.

Many bakers prefer not to bake directly on a sheet pan. They use parchment paper as a liner. The Silpat is a flexible silicone material used as a reusable liner.