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The main difference between waxed paper and parchment paper is their respective coatings. Parchment paper is coated with silicone to give it a nonstick, heat-resistant surface, whereas waxed paper is coated with a wax such as soybean or paraffin.
Waxed paper is not meant for use in the oven—the wax coating on it will melt if the paper is exposed to direct heat—so use it for wrapping up sandwiches or food for cold storage. Parchment paper is the best choice for cooking, as most brands can withstand temperatures up to about 420 degrees Fahrenheit (double-check your package to be safe). Parchment paper is good for lining cookie sheets to eliminate the need to grease them, and is also used to cook “en papillote,” a technique of wrapping food in a packet and baking it (like in our recipe for Roasted Fish with Thai Pesto).
The other way the papers differ is in how they’re processed before being coated. Pat Schweitzer, a spokesperson for Reynolds Consumer Products, says that the company’s parchment paper is pressed into a sheet, then dipped into an acid bath, washed, and “passed over a series of hot rotating drums that realign the fibers and give the paper its strength,” before the silicone coating is applied. Reynolds’ waxed paper, on the other hand, undergoes a process called supercalendering, which compresses the paper to give it its transparency, before it is coated in wax.
There are actually two different types of "baking parchment paper". The most common paper, sometimes referred to as "pan liners" or "cookie sheet liners" is generally a bleached or unbleached paper that has been treated with "Quilon", a chemical that allows it to release easily. These liners are generally good for up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for up to thirty minutes. At these temperatures and...+READ
There are actually two different types of "baking parchment paper". The most common paper, sometimes referred to as "pan liners" or "cookie sheet liners" is generally a bleached or unbleached paper that has been treated with "Quilon", a chemical that allows it to release easily. These liners are generally good for up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for up to thirty minutes. At these temperatures and times the edges of the paper may brown, but it doesn't affect the performance of the paper.
For temperatures higher than 450 degrees Fahrenheit or for food that has a lot of sugar content, it is better to use silicone treated paper. Silicone paper can withstand much higher heat than Quilon coated paper. However, silicone paper costs considerably more than Quilon coated paper.
We've found that Quilon coated paper is good for most baking needs. It can be used as a reusable pan liner, a wrap for fish and other foods and even for wrapping up a sandwich. It's really quite versatile.
The paper that we sell at our store is much thinner than the paper you'll find in the store. However, because it's commercial quality it tends to work better than the store brands. The best part about it is that it tends to lay flat as opposed to the store brands. . . the ones that want to roll up every time.
Of course, wax paper is treated with wax and should NEVER be used in an oven. The wax will melt and it can catch fire. Wax paper is designed to repel moisture and nothing more.
In summary, Quilon treated baking parchment paper is usually the best and most economical choice for the average baker. If you've never used parchment paper before you should try it. Once you do, you'll never be without it again.-COLLAPSE
Dude...it can withstand temperatures up to about 420 degrees...man
I do remember the wax paper at the bottom of cakes. I also remember purchasing / getting parchment from bakeries before it became 'mainstream'. Parchment rocks, like MrBig said, for lots of uses.
Vis-a-vis, the availability of parchment paper through miss stubby and others. I too grew up through the 50's, in London and being a boy, did mostly eating. Though the yearly Christmas cake, was definitely something Mom would buy special. Otherwise, it was not considered since the expense compared to family income etc. would not be considered. Paper was still a precious resource to most Brits....+READ
Vis-a-vis, the availability of parchment paper through miss stubby and others. I too grew up through the 50's, in London and being a boy, did mostly eating. Though the yearly Christmas cake, was definitely something Mom would buy special. Otherwise, it was not considered since the expense compared to family income etc. would not be considered. Paper was still a precious resource to most Brits. After all it was re-cycled in the form of food wrapping. ;-]
I did however, learn to cook using parchment paper, water ,over a bonfire to cook eggs.
I might also imagine that many communities, were unable to access many "luxury goods" until the sixties and beyond. Still, I expect that's all perspective?
Cheers!-COLLAPSE
If your local food wholesaler will sell to the public, you can pick up a case of 1000 sheets for around $40. It's 1/2 sheetpan size which is 12x16". I do alot of cooking and baking and a case lasts me 3-4 years, way cheaper than retail stores. You can use this not just for baking, it works for baking off chicken, porkchops etc. Sure saves on clean-up.
miss stubby, I've been buying it my entire adult life. I used to get it from specialty cooking shops, but today even Walmart carries the Reynolds brand.
Brown paper with a bit of PAM or oil with also sub nicely for parchment.
Um, soy does not contain gluten, guys. I wouldn't worry.
Mawrter, if you're worried about it, call the company and ask. I know that a lot of processing removes any trace of the proteins that cause problems, but they have to run the tests to confirm that. In all likelihood, the gluten proteins are destroyed during processing, but it's worth a call to make sure.
Does this mean waxed paper might have gluten in it -- from the soy? Yikes!
miss stubby,
My mother and grandmothers used waxed paper the same way. I've been getting parchment paper at my local supermarket for about 10 years.
When did parchment paper become available to the home baker? I grew up using wax paper in the bottom of layercake pans like we use parchment paper now, I don't think we could get it in the local stores. (this was in the late 1950's)
Yup, I learned about this the hard way when I baked cookies on waxed paper. The whole apartment smelled like a smoking candle and the cookies had a wax coating on the bottoms.