If you love baking and experimenting in the kitchen, you probably already know there’s nothing more annoying than having to wait for the baking pan to cool down before you can put in the next batch of cookies.
The same goes for cakes and other baked goods. If you are an impatient soul or work on tight deadlines, it can be challenging to wait for that perfectly baked cake to cool down before you can start decorating it.
Luckily, there are different ways to cool down baking pans fast to make sure you can bake your favorite goods without wasting any time.
Read on to learn just how to do that!
Tips to Cool Down Baking Pans Fast
Rushing the baking pan or baked goods to cool quickly is a risky business.
If you don’t do it right, your cake may sink in the middle. Furthermore, the base of the cake may get soggy, ruining the texture of your cake, bread, or other baked goods.
This makes it important to take the time to learn the right way to cool down your pans quickly.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some tried and tested tips and tricks on how to cool your baking pans and baked goods in no time.
Cool the Baking Sheets under Water
Baking cookies can get a little frustrating when you don’t have a stack of baking sheets or baking pans in your kitchen.
After all, who has the time to wait for the baking sheet to cool before you can put in the next batch? If you are facing the same issue, there’s a painstakingly simple solution to your problem.
After you pull the baking sheet out of the oven, set it aside for around 3 to 5 minutes to let the cookies cool.
Carefully transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack. Once the baking sheet is empty, rinse it under cool water until it is cool to touch.
It usually takes less than a minute for the baking sheet to cool down under running water.
Next, use a clean cloth or towel to dry the baking sheet. Once completely dry, you are all set to start a new batch.
While it is super simple, this trick can remove a sizeable chunk of inactive time from your cookie-baking session. Get more cookies using one baking sheet in less time!
Here, you might be wondering why it’s important to cool the baking sheet in the first place. Well, if you want perfectly baked cookies, it is best to spare a minute or two to cool the baking sheet.
Cookie dough, especially butter-based ones, melts as soon as it touches the hot baking sheet. As a result, you might end up with flat, hard, and mishappen cookies. It is better to use chilled dough and cool sheet pans.
Try Marble or Stine Tiling
Can’t wait to taste your freshly baked cake or start decorating it? Then try something out of the box to quickly cool your baking pans and baked goods.
Almost every other recipe tells to cool the baking pan or sheet on a wire rack before removing the baked goods. Well, did you know that marble or stone tiling can cool metal much faster than air?
Remove the hot pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the baking pan or sheet is no longer piping hot, place it directly on a marble or stone-tiled surface. Think a marble counter or a clean stone-tiled floor. The baking pan will cool down much faster.
However, here’s a word of precaution: DO NOT use this method for metal pans and sheets baked at a temperature any higher than 350°.
Furthermore, make sure your marble or granite counter does not have a heat-sensitive sealant.
Otherwise, you might end up damaging the surface.
In some cases, microfractures may appear with prolonged exposure to heat and lead to cracking over time.
The trick is to let the pan or sheet rest on the wire rack for some time before placing it on a stone surface. You should be fine if you let the pan cool the pan a bit before shifting it to the stone surface to speed up the process.
If you are still worried about your countertop or floor, try using baking stone for this purpose, like the ones that are used for baking pizza.
Baking stones are designed to withstand high temperatures. So when cool, they double as the perfect tool to help you cool down hot pans and sheets.
Another option is to pick up a scrap granite or marble piece at the hardware store to make your very own baking pan-cooling counter.
Place the Baking Pan Outside
Another easy way to speed up the cooling process is to place the baking pans and sheets outside in the cold.
This is the perfect solution to quickly cooling your baking sheets and pans during the winter holiday baking sessions. However, it must be mentioned that this method depends on where you live and what the climate is like.
Remove the baking pan from the oven and leave it on a wire rack on the counter for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the baked goods have settled and the risk of sinking is over, transfer the baking pan outside where the temperature is s cooler than the kitchen.
You can also move the wire rack to an open window sill if you don’t want to place your freshly baked goods outside.
Sure, the method is a little unconventional, but it works. The baking pan will cool much faster when placed outside.
If it’s not an option, simply removing the baking pan from the kitchen and transferring it to another room can also make a difference.
It is because kitchens are often warm and cozy, especially when you are running a hot oven to bake cakes and cookies.
Therefore, the kitchen is not exactly the best place to keep your baking pans and sheets when you are trying to cool them as quickly as possible.
However, of course, it depends on the layout of your home, the thermostat settings, and the overall climate of the area you live in.
Place the Baking Pan in the Fridge
When it comes to cooling baking pans quickly to prep cakes for decorating, sticking the cake in the refrigerator may seem like the obvious choice.
It is quick and efficient.
However, there are a lot of things to consider depending on the type of cake you have on your hands to make sure you don’t end up with a cracked or soggy cake.
The first thing you need to do is decide whether this method is right for your cake.
While it works well for sponge cakes, angel food cakes, pound cakes, and other light and fluffy cakes, it may not be the best choice for cooling a cheesecake. Quick changes in the temperature can upset the cake structure and lead to cracks.
Next, you need to decide how long you need to leave the cake in the fridge.
Light cakes, such as sponge cake and angel food cake, can cool in the fridge in about 1 to 2 hours. Creamy cakes that are best-served chill may take up to 4 hours.
Once you have the timings figured out, it’s for action. Pull the fully cooked cake from the oven and leave the baking pan on the wire rack for about 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature.
After allowing the pan to cool briefly on the countertop, transfer it to the fridge. It will allow the cake to cool quickly without drying out excessively.
Leave the cake in the fridge for another 10 minutes. Take the cake pan out of the fridge and seal the top with plastic wrap to the cake moist as it further cools.
Place the cake pan back in the fridge and leave it there for a few hours, depending on the type of cake.
Pro Tip: If you are cooling a sponge cake, it is best to cool it upside down. Simply turn the pan upside down. It will keep the cake from collapsing in the middle as it cools down. On the other hand, if you are cooling a pound cake, you may want to remove it from the pan after letting it sit in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Otherwise, your pound cake may become overly damp and stick to the sides.
The Bottom Line
This brings us to the end of our guide on how to cool baking pans and sheets quickly.
Remember, while the tips and tricks mentioned above work perfectly, don’t be too hasty when it comes to cooling baked goods.
The key to cooling your cakes quickly without ruining the texture or presentation lies in a gradual temperature change. It also depends on the type of cake.
Now that you know how to cool down baking pans fast, you can bake more in less time!
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