Food grade silicone makes them safe to use and types labeled “food grade” are the best type of silicone mat to buy if you plant to cook on them. When I make croissants, I find the Silpat silicone mat very easy to use for rolling out my croissant dough. I like having a couple of silicone mats. One for rolling out the dough, and one for shaping the butter layer. I find the Silpat silicone mats are much higher quality than my other silicone mats. They are able to withstand the high usage and high temperatures. It is easy to decorate your cakes to look totally professional. Just add some melted dark or white chocolate icing (or colored with edible gel) to an icing bag.

Place the roll with the chocolate on it in the fridge to harden and then remove the pieces in random chunks and use to decorate your favorite baked goods. Use the right baking mat for your purpose. For example, when cooking in a microwave, use the octagonal mat instead of the rectangular one, and never cut the mat. During a busy shift at work, we would often ignore the care that these mats need. We would toss them in the industry-sized dishwasher, store them improperly, and handle them harshly. It was no wonder that our mats were ripped, torn, and thinly worn out long before they were expected to expire.Another easy way to do this is to form the silicone mat into a roll, and just drizzle the chocolate (use more than one color for the most effect) over the top of the rolled silicone mat. You end up angrily crumbling it and throwing that sad lump of paper away, only to start the tragic process all over again. Wash them by hand with hot, soapy water and a soft sponge. Be sure to lightly scrub without applying too much pressure. The whole mat can then go into the freezer to allow the ghosts to set before adding them to drinks. My silpat mat is a bit bigger than my pan, so it forms sides and covers the bottom. Clean up is a breeze with soap and water. (See my recipe for asparagus wrapped in bacon. It’s delicious and cooks really well on a baking mat!) Making Decorative Chocolate drizzles.

Using a Silpat baking mat to bake and roll a Swiss Roll cake makes this baking project a breeze. The cake mixture is baked on the pan and then filling is added and the whole cake is rolled right on the silicone mat.Fran Sales is an associate editor for The Spruce Eats. Having been a consumer of plant-based food and vegan and cruelty-free home and kitchen goods for years, as well as a relatively recent convert to food composting, she’s always on the lookout for the next best way to help the planet. It couldn’t be easier to prep. There’s no greasing, just put your dough or batter straight on the mat without greasing or buttering. Silpat’s can be used in frozen environments and up to 500°F in the oven. Silpat mat vs parchment paper Silicone Baking Mat (Silpat) Just pipe your egg whites into meringue shapes and bake them at a low temperature. They will be perfectly cooked on the bottom and the sides and you have far less likelihood of burning the bottoms.