These should be flat, rigid, not too thin (or they can warp and buckle, causing uneven cooking) and fit into your oven leaving enough space all round for heat circulation. The sides, if any, should be no higher than 1cm (½in). Those made of dark-surfaced materials will quickly absorb heat and produce crisp, well-browned pastry, biscuits and so on; those made of shiny, light materials tend to deflect heat and so are preferable for delicate pastries and meringues.
Brioche mould Usually made from shiny tinned steel that deflects some of the oven heat from the rich yeast dough being baked, these moulds are round with a distinctive flaring, fluted side. They are available in several sizes, including small ones for individual brioches. They can also do double duty as a decorative mould for puddings set with gelatine.