Parchment paper is wonderfully resilient. Designed to be baked (and therefore subjected to very high heat) Zenlogy parchment sheets can handle temperatures of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit*! It’s really quite amazing when you think about it - a paper that can withstand such extreme temperatures. But at the end of the day it is still paper and it will definitely burn if it is introduced to the right (or wrong) conditions. Knowing how and when to use or not use your parchment paper will make a world of difference in your cooking experience. As long as you take some basic precautions, you will not likely encounter any issues when using your parchment paper.
There are of course the obvious ways that parchment paper can burn, such as being exposed to an open flame, which will cause the paper to ignite, and quickly. Parchment paper may actually burn more readily than some other papers when it comes into contact with fire, so it is highly inadvisable that you expose your parchment to such environments. Of course, if you are using the parchment outside of its intended baking purposes (such as for crafts) then have at it! Just make sure to be careful and always take the necessary steps to ensure your safety (which means having a fire extinguisher readily available).
Just as with open flame, parchment paper can catch fire if it comes into contact with your oven’s heating source. While some people swear by it, it is generally not suggested to use parchment paper in a toaster oven because it is such a small, confined space. Allowing the parchment to touch the lamp or the sides of your toaster oven could also cause the parchment to ignite. The same goes for using your parchment paper in a broiler; simply don’t do it. The enclosed space of the broiler makes it almost guaranteed to set your parchment ablaze.
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This makes it much more important to make sure your parchment is properly sized for your baking sheet. Excess paper coming over the edge of your pan or rolling upward off of the tray increases your risk of your parchment sheets touching the walls, racks, or heating source of your oven and catching fire. Zenlogy offers pre-cut, perfect-fit parchment paper sheets so that this problem is easily avoided and you can rest assured that your parchment is not flowing over the edge. Our sheets also come in flat box packaging making upward curling parchment paper a thing of the past!
All in all, parchment paper is a great product. It really does make the clean-up process a breeze, and the myriad ways that you can use the parchment - from en papillote to large cookie batches - makes using it a top choice for bakers and chefs everywhere. As long as you take some basic precautions, you will not likely encounter any issues and your bake time will be that much more enjoyable!
*Zenlogy parchment paper can be heated up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, but all brands differ and it’s important to check your packaging to understand what the suggested burning point is for whatever kind of parchment paper that you are using.
Nigel Gildon editor:Nigel Gildon is the editor of Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou: Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years and has a passion for helping new authors get their work into the hands of readers. 63 Liberty Street * Springfield, MA 01003
