Silpat
Encyclopedia
Silpat is the brand name of a silicone
mat used in baking
and in the production of candy
to provide a non-stick surface
without fat
or parchment paper
. Silpats contain a Fiberglass
weave that reinforces the silicone. It was invented by the French
chemist
Guy Demarle and is produced by the company he founded, called Demarle.
The Silpat's popularity was reviewed positively by food writer Amanda Hesser
in the New York Times in 1998. Silpats can range in size from as small as a microwave to as large as a commercial restaurant oven.
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
mat used in baking
Baking
Baking is the technique of prolonged cooking of food by dry heat acting by convection, and not by radiation, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. It is primarily used for the preparation of bread, cakes, pastries and pies, tarts, quiches, cookies and crackers. Such items...
and in the production of candy
Candy
Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...
to provide a non-stick surface
Non-stick surface
A non-stick surface is a surface engineered to reduce the ability of other materials to stick to it. A non-stick coating may be applied to a substrate to produce such a surface. One common application of non-stick coatings is cookware. Until recently, Teflon has dominated this market. However,...
without fat
Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
or parchment paper
Parchment paper (baking)
Parchment paper and bakery release paper are cellulose-based papers that are used in baking as a disposable non-stick surface. Both are also called bakery paper.-Parchment paper:...
. Silpats contain a Fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
weave that reinforces the silicone. It was invented by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
Guy Demarle and is produced by the company he founded, called Demarle.
The Silpat's popularity was reviewed positively by food writer Amanda Hesser
Amanda Hesser
Amanda Hesser is an American food writer, editor and cookbook author. She was the food editor of The New York Times Magazine and the editor of T Living, a quarterly publication of The New York Times.-Life and career:...
in the New York Times in 1998. Silpats can range in size from as small as a microwave to as large as a commercial restaurant oven.