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top of the other. The thin pocket of air between the two sheets will result in the same type of baking.
    Q Will nonstick cake pans burn my cakes?
    A Cakes will darken when baked in nonstick pans, though not as dramatically as cookies will when baked on nonstick baking sheets. It’s really a matter of personal preference. If you like the caramelized flavor of a deep golden crust and appreciate a sturdier surface for applying frosting, then a nonstick pan may be right for you. If you don’t like such a marked difference in color between your cake and your crust, then go with a light-colored pan. The best are made of aluminum.
    Q Do nonstick pans need to be greased?
    A Manufacturers will tell you no, but to be safe you should always grease and flour even a nonstick cake pan to guarantee a clean release. If a recipe calls for lining a pan with parchment paper, do this also. There are few things more distressing than the sight of half of your cake stuck to the bottom of your pan after you have unsuccessfully attempted to flip it onto a wire rack or cardboard cake circle.
    Q What about glass and ceramic baking dishes? How do they rate on browning (or burning) baked goods?
    A Glass and ceramic are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Clear glass, like dark metal, absorbs heat rather than reflecting it, resulting in darker crusts. A glass pie plate is a good choice for a juicy fruit pie, because it promotes browning and crisping which will prevent the bottom of the pie from becoming damp and soggy. Glass is not a good choice for a crustless dessert like a crumble or crisp, because there is a risk that the fruit on the bottom would scorch and burn. In this case, ceramic, which is slower to absorb heat, is preferable, as it cooks the fruit more gently.
Nor is glass a good choice for quick breads, pound cakes, and bar cookies, because of the potential for burning. There are a lot of pretty ceramic and stoneware loaf pans and baking dishes out there that will do this job if you prefer them to metal. But be aware that ceramic and stoneware generally produce baked goods that are lighter in color than those baked in aluminum and especially nonstick pans.
    Q I’m intrigued by the flexible nonstick silicone bakeware I see everywhere. How does it compare to conventional metal and glass?
    A Manufacturers claim that bakeware made of silicone (the same flexible nonstick material used in Silpats) is easier to clean and offers a better nonstick surface than any other material. But in my experience there are some distinct disadvantages to using it in baking. First of all, the pans, which now come in every shape imaginable, from madeleinemolds to muffin tins to kugelhopf pans, are flexible to the point of floppiness. You will need to place your pan on top of a baking sheet and then carry the baking sheet to the oven to avoid spills, but be aware that baking anything on top of a baking sheet will lengthen baking time.
Dense, heavy batters such as fruitcake or gingerbread can cause the sides of a silicone baking dish to bulge, resulting in misshapen baked goods. It’s better to bake these batters in rigid pans that will give the finished cakes a good shape.
Silicone won’t produce a caramelized crust that’s so desirable on cakes and muffins. On the plus side, it’s good for items that require gentle heat in a cooler oven, such as crème brûlée. Also heed manufacturers’ instructions not to use these pans in an oven hotter than 425°F (220°C), at which point the silicone will begin to smoke and produce a foul odor.
    Q When a recipe specifies a pan size (9-inch pie plate, 8-by 4-inch loaf pan) how are the pans measured? My loaf pan, for example, is narrower on the bottom than the top.
    A All pans are measured across the top, not the bottom. In the case of fluted tart, Bundt, or brioche pans, measure from the outermost part of the top edge of one side to the outermost part of the top edge of the other side.
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    Consult the