Parchment paper or silicone baking mats

Nothing chaps my hide like when my precious cookies get stuck to the baking pan. Fortunately, it never happens when I use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Cut parchment paper circles in the shape of the bottom of your springform pans or tart pans so that whatever you’re baking slides off the bottom piece easily. Use it when baking brownies or loaves so you can lift them cleanly out of the pan before slicing. To make the paper fit perfectly in a rectangular pan, place a large sheet under the pan you are using. Using scissors, cut a square (with one angle touching the pan’s corner) out of each corner of the paper to make a cross-shaped piece of parchment paper when finished.