Silicone moulds: how to use and care for them
First wash, greasing, baking, freezing, unmoulding and cleaning: everything you need to know to make your silicone moulds last.
Food-grade silicone is flexible, non-stick and goes from the freezer to the oven: it is the ideal material for sugar paste decorations, chocolate and small cakes. A few good habits are enough to get clean results every time.
Before the first use
- Wash the mould in hot soapy water, rinse it and dry it completely.
- For a baking mould, apply a thin layer of butter or oil the first few times: unmoulding will be easier. After that, it is usually no longer needed.
- For sugar paste and chocolate, use the mould clean and perfectly dry, without any fat.
In the oven and the freezer
- Always place the mould on a tray or rack before filling it: it is flexible and bends when moved full.
- Follow the temperatures given on the product page.
- For mousses, inserts and chocolate, 10 to 20 minutes in the freezer makes unmoulding much cleaner.
Unmoulding without breaking
Let cakes cool slightly before unmoulding. Turn the mould over and gently push the bottom with your thumbs while loosening the edges: the silicone turns inside out like a glove. For fine decorations, bend the mould slightly rather than pulling on the paste.
Cleaning and storage
- Hot soapy water and a soft sponge; never an abrasive sponge or a sharp object.
- Dry well before storing, especially moulds with fine patterns.
- Store them flat or rolled without crushing them, away from dust.
