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Sheet pans or baking trays (British English) are flat, rectangular metal pans used in an oven. They are primarily used for baking flat products such as cookies, sheet cakes, and swiss rolls.
These pans, like all bakeware, can be made of a variety of materials, but are primarily aluminum or stainless steel. The most basic sheet pan is literally a sheet of metal. Common additional features that may be found in sheet pans include a lip on one or more edges to prevent food from sliding off, handles to aid in placing the pan into the oven, and removing it again, or an insulated bottom designed to protect delicate food from burning.
Types and sizes
A sheet pan that has a continuous lip around all four sides may be called a jelly roll pan. A pan that has at least one side flat, so that it is easy to slide the baked product off the end, may be called a cookie sheet.
Professional sheet pans used in commercial kitchens typically are made of aluminum, with a (1", 2,5 cm) raised lip around the edge, and come in standard sizes. The full-size sheet pan is 26 by 18 inches, which is too large for most home ovens. A half sheet pan is 18 by 13 inches. Quarter sheets are 9 by 13 inches. The half sheet is approximately the same size as mass-market baking sheets found in supermarkets, and the quarter sheet is a common size for rectangular, single-layer cakes. Other commercial kitchen equipment, such as cooling racks, ovens, and shelving, is made to fit these standard pans.
Liners
Some bakers prefer not to bake directly on a sheet pan, particularly for delicate or sticky pastries. Depending on what is being baked, they may use parchment paper, waxed paper or aluminum foil as a liner. The Silpat is a flexible silicone material used as a reusable liner.
See also
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