Mistresses who want to pamper their households with a variety of desserts and homemade curly baked goods cannot do without confectionery equipment.
Forms for cutting cookies are useful to every housewife. They allow you to quickly and easily shape the dough. You can purchase such products as a whole set, and individually. And if you want to surprise your loved ones for a holiday, you can easily find thematic forms.
What are the differences between such products and how to make them yourself? This will be discussed in our article.
Varieties
Forms for cutting cookies are divided into:
- Cuttings are full figures with sharp edges, with the help of which they press on the dough. The result is a product of the required shape.
- The recesses are recesses, various figures into which the dough is poured and put to bake.
Today, manufacturers offer a wide range of shapes. They differ in several ways. Consider them:
- form;
- design (solid or detachable);
- number of prints;
- material.
In addition, there are flat or three-dimensional forms, reusable and disposable.
The form
Due to the variety of notches and cuts, it is possible to cook round, square, oval, rectangular, triangular, multifaceted and figured cookies. Children are very fond of pastries in the form of animals, numbers and letters. Themed products for any holiday are no less in demand. For example, on sale there are New Year's forms for cutting cookies - in the form of snowflakes, Christmas toys, angels. By Easter, items in the form of an egg, chicken, bunny will do. In the fall, leaf shapes are appropriate. You can meet other products for any other holidays. In demand are forms for cutting cookies - stars. Just choose your option!
Mold design
Molds can have a one-piece or detachable design. Detachable products are made of aluminum or steel. This design has a so-called latch, used to detach the side so that the bottom can be easily and conveniently removed.
Volume
With the help of molds of various types, you can make both flat and voluminous products.
For pies, for example, cookie cutters of large (more than 3.5 L) or medium volume (1.5-3.5 L) are used, and for small cookies - with a volume of (0.5 - 1.2 L).
Appointment
There are forms for cutting cookies, as well as tartlets, muffins, gingerbread cookies and much more. Sometimes it’s very difficult to choose the right option.
Forms are disposable (made of paper) or reusable (metal), which must be suitable for many safety parameters in order to enter the market. They must meet the following criteria:
- withstand high temperatures;
- Do not interact with products and do not oxidize;
- do not burn;
- conduct heat well;
- be durable and wear resistant.
Material for making molds
As we have already noted, different materials are used to make such products. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is difficult to immediately determine which of the molds is better. Often, lovers of cooking baked goods gradually gather a real collection of such products.
Metal
Molds made of tin and stainless steel are characterized by wear resistance, practicality, strength and durability. They are offered in several types, and therefore are also in great demand. Although, if desired, a similar version of the forms for cutting cookies with your own hands can also be done. But more on that later.
Cutting down
Very convenient to use through products. With their help, even a child can cut figures from the dough. The cutters do not contain dyes; they do not react with the dough. The main thing is that the steel edges are carefully processed, otherwise you can cut yourself. When buying logging, you need to pay attention to the mounts that connect the edges. They should not have sharp edges or protrusions.
Features of stainless steel molds:
- keep their shape perfectly;
- you can easily separate the dough from the edges;
- do not absorb fat and smell;
- it turns out a neatly cropped edge.
Notches
When using molds-notches, the dough is laid inside. Due to the presence of thin sides, heating is enhanced, which significantly accelerates the baking process. It is advisable to choose molds-recesses having a non-stick coating of the inner part.
There are recesses of various sizes:
- for large items (pies, cakes, muffins) - tins with a removable bottom;
- molds with a convex pattern;
- baking sheets with portioned cells for the preparation of baskets and muffins (the sides of the products can be wavy or even);
- cones used to make the tubes (the dough is wound on the product itself).
Metal products are used both by professional chefs and ordinary housewives who want to please everyone with their delicious desserts, because metal forms are very convenient and easy to care for. You can find a huge assortment for every taste.
Disadvantages: the inability to use in the dishwasher and microwave. Also rust over time.
Aluminum
They are also used for baking flour products. Due to the fact that the walls of the tins are rather thin, baking often does not burn if the temperature is not observed.
There are both disposable and reusable forms. When buying reusable items, pay attention to how the inside is processed: it must be smooth and well polished.
Disposable should always be lubricated before starting cooking.
Plastic
Plastic products cannot be used in the oven, as they quickly melt. Made of plastic:
- Cutting down. They are either simple or patterned. You just need to push the simple ones onto the dough and you get the product of the shape you need. With the pattern, the notches are used to prepare interesting, funny images and ornaments.
- Plungers. This is a plastic plate with a piston on a spring. The form should be attached to the test, then press the piston. The dough is thus pushed out. The main difference between plungers and clearings is that they allow you to immediately make a relief pattern on the surface of the dough. Cookies made with the plunger are small in size and height. Of the pluses, ease of handling and the possibility of cleaning both independently and in the dishwasher can be noted. But be careful when buying: the product should not have any odors. Do not buy bright multi-colored forms, give preference to white options.
Silicone
Silicone molds that can withstand temperatures from -60 to +280 degrees are well suited for cookies. They are absolutely non-toxic and completely safe.
Main advantages:
- the dough is evenly baked, does not burn;
- ready-made cookies are easy to take out - just turn the tin inside out;
- silicone products hold volume well;
- it is easy to wash forms, it is convenient to store, accurately folding or folding into each other;
- durable.
Also an important advantage is low cost.
Of the minuses, we note the inability to use on an open fire - only in the oven or in the microwave. There are other options, such as glass. Glass products are used primarily for the manufacture of large products. You can find disposable paper products and made of foil.
How to make a cookie cutter mold?
If desired, the studied product can be made from a can. To do this, you need:
- Cut off her bottom and top.
- Bend the edges on one side to form the desired shape, geometric or otherwise.
Cardboard can also be used by folding a simple shape out of it. Or wrap the bottom of the bottle with foil. The result is a one-time round mold.
In conclusion
It is difficult to say which products are the best. You can purchase a set of forms for cutting cookies or several different options and choose the one that is most suitable for you. After all, they don’t argue about tastes.