What is parchment paper?

Parchment paper is a type of heat-resistant paper that can be used in the kitchen for a variety of baking and cooking applications. Parchment paper comes in a variety of tones depending on if it’s bleached or unbleached. Parchment paper is coated with silicone to help with heat and stick resistance. 

How is parchment paper used? 

Parchment paper can be used to line baking sheets, wrap and store foods in the refrigerator, cook foods in steam pockets, and prevent food from sticking. Lining dishes with parchment paper and letting the extra paper hang from the slides allows you to pull cakes, brownies, and other dense casseroles out of their pans, and get straight cuts very easily. 

When was parchment paper invented? 

Original parchment paper was made by the ancient Egyptians, but over time was processed to be used for baking. 

What is the difference between parchment paper and other baking papers?

Parchment v. Wax 

The main difference between these two papers is their coating. Parchment paper is coated with silicone, wax paper is coated with wax, which is highly flammable and not heat resistant. While you may use parchment paper in place of wax paper, wax paper cannot be used interchangeably with parchment.  Both papers are stick-resistant and allow for easy clean-up when cooking. 

Parchment v. Foil

While parchment is made from paper, foil is made from aluminum. Both materials are great for easy cleanup and lining baking dishes, and can be used for high heat cooking (just make sure not to use foil in the microwave!) Foil isn’t as stick-resistant as parchment, and can still benefit from a light coating of cooking spray or oil. 

Parchment v. Saran Wrap 

Parchment paper and saran (or plastic wrap) can both be used to wrap and store foods. For cooking in the oven, parchment paper is a great tool that is resistant to the high heat of the oven, while plastic wrap usage in the oven is not as common and is usually only done carefully at restaurants. 

Our Recipes Using Parchment

Grilled Cheese 

For our Grilled Cheese recipe, Sydney uses parchment paper to cover her sandwich before adding a heavy cast iron pan, which helps press the sandwich down and ensures even browning.

Scones

In our recipe for scones, chef Sydney uses cut-out pieces of parchment paper to line the scone pan before pressing the dough into the pan for baking.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Lining your baking sheet with parchment paper is always a good idea when making things like these delicious oatmeal raisin cookies.

Other Ways To Use Parchment Paper 

Almond Cherry Bark

This delicious dessert is great for on-the-go snacking! To make it, start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Over a saucepan with boiling water, take a glass or heat-safe bowl filled with dark melting chocolate and melt it over the double boiler. Stir the chocolate until smooth. To the chocolate, add whole almonds and dried cherries. While the chocolate is still liquid, add the mixture onto the baking sheet, spreading evenly. Top the bark with sliced almonds and refrigerate until it hardens. Break apart the bark and enjoy.

Lemon Butter Fish En Papillote

En papillote, or “in the paper,” refers to a French method of cooking proteins like seafood or chicken by steaming it in a parchment pocket full of aromatics.  To make this place a piece of parchment on a baking sheet. Add a bed of your choice of veggies, like zucchini or asparagus. Add a piece of fish over the vegetables, and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chopped dill. Add lemon slices and a small pat of butter on top, and fold the parchment paper over and fold the ends together to close the pocket. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes at 425 degrees. Serve the fish with a side of white rice with peas!