Bon Appétit: The Best Baking Pans for All (Yes, All) Your Baking Dreams

Fat Daddio's

FAQ

Find answers to frequently-asked questions from how to buy, bakeware care, general baking help to troubleshooting cakes, cookies and pastries.

D2C

How to buy Fat Daddio's Products?

Fat Daddio’s bakeware and baking tools are available through specialty-bakeware distributors, wholesale outlets, restaurant suppliers, preferred online resellers, and finer gourmet and kitchenware retailers.

If you’re looking for a specific product, Google Fat Daddio’s and the PRODUCT NUMBER (ex. Fat Daddio’s PRD-83…). The product numbers are available in the Catalog section of our website.

If you need assistance locating products or are located outside the US, please contact us and we will help you find the nearest retailer or online reseller.

B2B

How to sell Fat Daddio's Products?

We rely on partnerships from distributors and retailers worldwide.

Contact us for more information, or submit an wholesale application and we will contact you with next steps.

Apply today

Do do you custom manufacture?

While we specialize in bakeware manufacturing, we also assist in diverse commercial and industrial applications with low minimum order quantities.

Contact us with your specific manufacturing needs.

Read more: Custom Manufacturing

General

Why should I use anodized aluminum bakeware over any other metal or material?

There are many benefits to using anodized aluminum bakeware versus other alternatives like steel and extra-material bakeware options…

Read: Why Anodized?

Is anodized aluminum bakeware non-stick?

Fat Daddio’s Anodized Bakeware is not coated with any sort of non-stick surface or coatings of any kind. It is a chemical and extra material-free baking solution. We recommend prepping your bakeware before baking to ensure an easy release.

However, many users of our bakeware do attest to its “not-stick” properties following pan prep as the smooth surface of anodized bakeware is less porous than natural aluminum and other bakeware materials.

Read: Why Anodized?

Is anodized aluminum bakeware safe?

We created our anodized aluminum bakeware line with safety in mind. Fat Daddio’s Anodized Aluminum Bakeware contains no coatings, extra metals or materials, chemical additives, dyes, CFC’s, PTFE’s or PFOA’s. Nothing that can transfer, chip, peel, flake, pit or rust into your baking. You can read more about the anodizing process and safety here.

Can I put my anodized aluminum bakeware in the dishwasher?

We recommend handwashing as dishwasher detergants may discolor your anodized aluminum bakeware. However, should you choose to wash your bakeware in the dishwasher, it will not compromise the lifetime of use and performance ahead of it…

Read: Can I put my pan in the dishwasher?

What size cake pan should I use?

The size cake pan you should use depends on factors like batter thickness and how many cake servings you want.

However, there are some general sizes you can use.

  • Most round cakes are baked in 8 inch diameter cake pans. What depth to use comes down to preference. However, you can not bake a 3 inch deep cake in a 2 inch cake pan, but you CAN bake a 2 inch height cake in a 3 or 4 inch deep pan.
  • For cheesecakes, most recipes call for a 9 inch round removeable bottom cheesecake pan or Springform pan.
  • Pies are generally baked in 10 inch pie pans. These are the same size as most grocery store pie crusts (sold as 9 inch pie crusts). Important Note: Traditionally in the pie industry, pie pans are measured across the exterior of the pan not the interior. In other words, a Fat Daddio’s 9 inch pie pan (PIE-9) creates an 8 inch pie. If you want a resulting 9 inch pie, you would use Fat Daddio’s PIE-10.

Read: Baking Instructions> Serving Chart

How are the dimensions of baking pans measured?

In the baking industry measurements are generally determined by the internal baking surface of the bakeware. In other words, baking in an 8 x 3 round cake pan will result in a 8 x 3 round cake even if the external measurements of the round cake pan are greater, 9 x 3. Most bakeware is measured similiarly.

There are less straight forward exceptions that will require you to pay special attention to how measurements are determined.

  • Traditionally in the pie industry, pie pan sizes are determined by the exterior measurements. This means, baking in a Fat Daddio’s 10 inch pie pan will result a 9 inch pie at its widest point (or fit most 9 inch grocery store pie crusts). Similiarly, a 6 inch pie pan will bake a 5 inch pie.
Can I use metal spatulas, utensils, or knives on my bakeware?

We strongly recommend always using plastic, silicone, nylon or wooden tools to protect the surface of your pan or silicone bakeware from scratching.

However, scratches to our anodized aluminum pans will not affect the performance, safety or lifetime of our bakeware. Even with scratches and markings, it is safe to continue to use as you will never cause the anodized aluminum pans to chip, peel, flake, pit or rust.

How high of a temperature can I bake with my Fat Daddio's Bakeware?

Fat Daddio’s Anodized Aluminum, Natural Aluminum Bakeware, Silicone Mats and Molds can take the heat up to 550° F (288° C).

Our Stainless Steel Bakeware is temperature rated up to 932° F (500° C).

Keep in mind, high heat can discolor your bakeware over time but will not affect the performance. DO NOT not use bakeware on stove tops.

Can I use my cake pan on the grill?

Yes! These pans can be used on a grill up to 550° F (288° C). The bottom and exterior of the pan will discolor somewhat, but it remains safe to use. We DO NOT recommend use of bakeware directly on stove tops.

Can I use my cake pan in my Instant Pot®? Pressure Cooker? Air Fryer?

Yes! You can find a list of anodized aluminum cake pans in a variety of shapes and sizes here that fit inside the most popular appliances available on the market.

Are my products under warranty?

Is my bakeware or baking and pastry tools under warranty?

Read: Warranty

Baking & Decorating

I need baking help!

How to prep a cake pan? How much batter should I use? What temperature should I bake at? How long to bake a cake? How many servings should I make? Find answers to these questions and more…

Read: Baking Instructions

How to prepare my pan before use?

We recommend you always follow recipe instructions for prepping your pan. Do not use olive oil or release methods that include olive oil.

If your receipe does not specify how to prep your cake pan, refer to our guide on Pan Prep.

Can I bake or cook with acidic foods?

Yes! Our anodized aluminum bakeware is non-reactive to acidic foods and will not leach residual tastes or extra metals. In fact, it is ideal for recipes that contain citrus, cocoa, wine, or tomato-based ingredients.

You can read more about anodizing here.

Why is my cake sinking?

The most common reason cakes sink is underbaking. If a cake is not baked through, it does not have a chance to set and will sink. Avoid opening the oven until the cake is at least ¾ way baked.

Other reasons sinking cakes can occur…

  1. Oven temperature. Check the actual temperature of your oven to see if it runs too hot or too cold.
  2. Too much baking powder or baking soda in the recipe.
  3. Undermixing the batter.
  4. Incorporating too much air in to the batter (overmixing).
How to make a cheesecake water bath?

Water baths are a technique commonly listed to bake cheesecakes. The reason for a water bath was to ensure that the temperature was consistent throughout the metal of the pan. Many bakeware pans are stretched during production causing the metal to be uneven in thickness. Fat Daddio’s Cheesecake and Springforms Pans are not stretched using this technique, and have an even metal thickness all the way through eliminating the need for a water bath.

Cheesecakes are a more delicate baked good than most bakes. While not always necessary, we recommend introducing a baking pan with water in it to the lowest shelf of your oven to create a moist atmosphere for it to bake in. This helps both preserve the top and prevent your cheesecake from drying out.

These pans are designed with thick batters or baked goods with a crust in mind. If you decide to follow the traditional method of using a water bath, we recommend that you wrap the outer bottom and sides of the pan with aluminum foil before placing it in a larger baking pan full of water. Cheesecake batters can be thin and this process helps prevent water from seeping into your mix.

What is patina?

After the first few uses of your bakeware, the baking surface will build up a patina that will help eliminate or minimize the need for pan prep.

Peter Barham, author of The Science of Cooking, describes patina as a “do it yourself non-stick coating”. Baked goods that stick is typically the result of a chemical bond between the protein molecules from egg and the metal surface of the pan. You reduce sticking to the bakeware by preventing contact of these egg proteins with various forms of pan preparation. The more surface is covered, the less sticking. By allowing the natural oils from pan preparation to build up over time, you create a pan with less reactive surfaces to stick to. Consider cast iron pans that have been seasoned through years of use to achieve a similar result.

What size pastry bag do I need?
For handwriting on a cake or fine detail work, a 12″ pastry bag is ideal in most situations. If you are filling pastries like tarts or cream puffs, we recommend using an 18″ pastry bag.
How much filling or icing do I need to fill a pastry bag?
  • 12″ pastry bags hold 1 1/2 cups of filling
  • 14″ pastry bags hold 2 1/2″ cups
  • 16″ pastry bags hold 4 cups
  • 18″ pastry bags hold 6 cups
How do I trim a pastry bag?

Typically, a pastry bag will need to be trimmed to fit couplers or large pastry tubes.

Before you cut…

  1. Untwist the ring from coupler that you intend to use.
  2. Slide the coupler down to the end of the pastry bag, and push it through to be sure it is snug. Mark the tip with a marker.
  3. Trim bag at marked area.
  4. Add the desired pastry tip on top of the coupler. Slide the ring over tip and tighten around the coupler.
How do I fill a pastry bag?
  1. Slide intended decorating tip into the bottom of pastry bag. Slide the coupler over the tip and tighten around the pastry bag and decorating tip. Twist the pastry bag around the decorating tip to form a plug. This will keep your filling from oozing out until you are ready.
  2. Place pastry bag tip down in a wide-mouthed container and fold the opening of the bag inside-out around the container edges. Pull it down over the container a few inches to hold it in place to keep the pastry bag’s opening from getting messy as you fill it up.
  3. Fill the pastry bag with your desired ingredients. Do not fill the pastry bag more than 3/4 full. Full bags are difficult to handle and messy!
  4. Squeeze the top of the pastry bag closed and twist at the end to make it air tight.
  5. Hold the filled pastry bag with your dominant hand with the top pinched between your thumb and index finger and the bag cradled in your hand. Untwist the bottom at the tip and squeeze gently until the filling flows into the decorator tip.
  6. Squeeze filling from the top, but never from the bottom to allow for more control. Squeezing from the middle kneads and warms your filling, which will result in running icings.
How to temper chocolate?

The tempering process is done when you are making truffles and other chocolate candies. This step is unnecessary for baking or making chocolate sauce.

The Classic Method

  1. Melt 1lb of chocolate in a double boiler. Follow the temperatures below* for melting the chocolate you are working with. Once it has reached the temperature (for dark chocolate 120°F, 49°C) pour 1/3 of the chocolate on a cold table or marble surface. Keep the remaining 1/3 at the same temperature.
  2. Use your bench scraper and offset spatula, and work the chocolate. You will continually spread the chocolate with the spatula and wipe it up with the bench scraper. This is the process to cool the chocolate, which can take anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes. The chocolate needs to cool to the cooling temp from the chart** below. (For dark chocolate, 82°F, 28°C). This will turn your chocolate to “mush”. Yep, that’s the technical term.
  3. Now you add your mush back to the 1/3 chocolate that has kept its melting temperature. Use your rubber spatula (be sure there is no moisture on it) and stir the chocolate gently until it is smooth. Do not be rough, or you will get air bubbles. Do this until your chocolate reaches its reheat temp on the chart*** below. (For dark chocolate 90°F, 32°C). That is it. Now you are ready to pour into chocolate molds. Be sure that you continue to check your temperature and keep it constant.

The Seeding Method

If you do not own a marble slab, you can still temper your chocolate like a pro using small, finely chopped pieces of chocolate incorporated into your already melted chocolate. This technique relies on adding stable, crystalized chocolate that naturally lowers the temperature of the melted chocolate until you reach the range you need for perfectly tempered chocolate.

Ingredients & Tools Needed:

  • Chocolate, 1 lb
  • Chef’s knife
  • Kitchen thermometer
  • Flexible spatula
  • Food processor
  • Heat safe bowl
  1. Chop 3/4 of the chocolate on a chopping board. You can also use chocolate that is already in buttons or pistoles.
  2. Finely chop the last ¼ of the chocolate or process it in your food processor.
  3. Fill a saucepan with water and place it on the stovetop. Slowly heat it, but do not bring it to a boil. Put your heat safe bowl on top of the pot, making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pot. Put the 3/4 quantity of chocolate into the bowl and stir regularly with the spatula until chocolate melts smoothly.
  4. To begin the seeding process, melt the chocolate to the following initial temperature ranges:  Dark chocolate: 28-29°C (82-84° F), Milk chocolate: 27-28°C (81-82°F), White chocolate: 26-27°C (79-81°F). These temperatures are established to ensure the chocolate is at a point where the cocoa butter fats melt.
  5. Once the above ranges are achieved, slowly stir in the remaining finely chopped chocolate you have set aside. Stir until you reach the final temperatures:  Dark chocolate: 31-32°C (88-90°F), Milk chocolate: 29-30°C (84-86°F), White chocolate: 28-29°C (82-84°F).

QUICK TIP: Work in a cool area, that is not too humid. Moisture will kill your tempered chocolate every time.

Chocolate Temperatures for Tempering

Melting Temp*
  • Dark Chocolate   120°F (49°C)
  • Milk Chocolate   115°F (45°C)
  • White Chocolate 110°F (43°C)
Cooling Temp**
  • Dark Chocolate    82°F (28°C)
  • Milk Chocolate    80°F (27°C)
  • White Chocolate  78°F (26°C)
Reheating Temp***
  • Dark Chocolate    90°F (32°C)
  • Milk Chocolate    86°F (30°C)
  • White Chocolate  82°F (28°C)

Signs of Good Tempered Chocolate

  1. Glossy sheen
  2. Firm snap
  3. Good taste
  4. Melts near your body temperature

Bad Tempered Chocolate

  1. Dull sheen
  2. The cocoa fat rises to the surface and “blooms”
  3. Unappealing appearance
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