Intricate Nordic Ware pans non-stick?

[Mom+Me]

Hello! I saw some beautiful Nordic Ware baking pans in various shapes, like bundt pans with evergreen trees and little gingerbread shaped houses and would love to purchase one or more of these for Christmas. There are several compliant recipes that I think would work just fine. My question is, does anyone know how well they would work without using something like Pam or Baker's Joy (oil + flour)? I'm concerned that those intricate patterns would not release well without using an oil spray because of all the nooks and crannies.

[VeganDisciple]

Not 100% sure but honestly as long as it's not burnt, soaking in hot water for 5-10 minutes even in the absence of soap should easily melt it off. Source: 5 years as a professional dishwasher

The main concern is if it's aluminum baking pans although it's not the most concerning source of aluminum poisoning but as long as it has teflon covering that's not scratched it's ok. But more recently McDougall pointed out that the ceramic pans are the best choice.

[Quinda]

I use parchment paper on smooth surface pans but know it would not work on one with lots of indentations. I have a very old Nordic bundt pan and it has served me well. Yes soaking gets it clean and yes it is coated with something like teflon. I have not used it for years just because I don't bake anymore. I assume parchment paper is ok with McDougall? I really have not checked. Anyone know?

[VeganDisciple]

Ya parchment paper is accepted by McDougall and an interesting note: I recently noticed his wife's method for using aluminum foil (for example wrapping a potato) is to first wrap in parchment paper and then wrap with foil.
She says, "I don’t recommend baking them in aluminum foil. It makes potatoes pasty, instead of dry and fluffy. If you like potatoes this way, make sure you wrap them in parchment paper before using the foil." https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl ... ecipes.htm

[Mom+Me]

Not 100% sure but honestly as long as it's not burnt, soaking in hot water for 5-10 minutes even in the absence of soap should easily melt it off. Source: 5 years as a professional dishwasher

The main concern is if it's aluminum baking pans although it's not the most concerning source of aluminum poisoning but as long as it has teflon covering that's not scratched it's ok. But more recently McDougall pointed out that the ceramic pans are the best choice.

Thank you for replying, VeganDisciple! Yes, I believe the cake would come out of the pan with soaking. They have some kind of non-stick coating. Doesn't say if it's PFOA and PTFE free, but if I baked in it a few times each Christmas season, I wouldn't be too concerned. My concern is if I don't use something like Baker's Joy (oil/flour spray), the cake wouldn't release out of the little nooks and crannies and then the cakes would look terrible.

[Mom+Me]

I use parchment paper on smooth surface pans but know it would not work on one with lots of indentations. I have a very old Nordic bundt pan and it has served me well. Yes soaking gets it clean and yes it is coated with something like teflon. I have not used it for years just because I don't bake anymore. I assume parchment paper is ok with McDougall? I really have not checked. Anyone know?

Thank you, Quinda! Yeah, the pans I was looking at were https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Plat ... 174&sr=8-3 and https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Fore ... 179&sr=8-2 . You are right; parchment wouldn't work in either one.

[VeganDisciple]

oh! sorry I misunderstood not much of a baker myself, but at least we bumped your topic to the top of the list My mother always used cupcake pans with the cupcake paper in the bottom. Maybe someone has a trick up their sleeve

[VeganDisciple]

I was wondering if fat replacer could be used instead of a cooking spray? but I literally couldn't find anything on the internet about it lol. You know what though, I also wonder if you could rub avocado or something naturally fatty on the surface. I have no idea though, good luck! Curious to find out what you end up doing.

[Mom+Me]

I was wondering if fat replacer could be used instead of a cooking spray? but I literally couldn't find anything on the internet about it lol. You know what though, I also wonder if you could rub avocado or something naturally fatty on the surface. I have no idea though, good luck! Curious to find out what you end up doing.

I apologize for not having responded sooner. I was down to nearly 0 data on my phone, so I could not reply until now. I've decided to not purchase the pans, as cute as they are, for now. You have a very good idea, though. I'm wondering if smearing a little really ripe avocado and then putting a light dusting of flour in the pan before the batter would work. I don't know. If "regular" people read this thread, they'd probably think, "What in the world?! Just spray a little Baker's Joy and be done with it. How much fat can it add anyway?!" But it all adds up and we know just how bad oil is. Thank you for your thoughts and trying to find something on the internet; I really appreciate it!

[VeganDisciple]

Haha, no problem The idea with flour is interesting. My mom and grandma love to bake and have struggled a little with McDougall style baking but im not sure she has ever tried that, avocado with some flour on it, very promising-sounding idea! You may inspire me to add baking to my repertoire, quite honestly lol. I know banana can be used as a replacement for oil in recipes but I couldn't find anything about using it as a nonstick item but maybe that with flour as well. I have my doubts lol but hey..we'll just keep bumping this thread to the top of the list until some ingenious McDougall baker comes along
Merry Christmas!
-Andy

[Mom+Me]

Haha, no problem The idea with flour is interesting. My mom and grandma love to bake and have struggled a little with McDougall style baking but im not sure she has ever tried that, avocado with some flour on it, very promising-sounding idea! You may inspire me to add baking to my repertoire, quite honestly lol. I know banana can be used as a replacement for oil in recipes but I couldn't find anything about using it as a nonstick item but maybe that with flour as well. I have my doubts lol but hey..we'll just keep bumping this thread to the top of the list until some ingenious McDougall baker comes along
Merry Christmas!
-Andy

What struggles with baking McDougall-style do your mother and Grandmother have? Unfortunately I really don't think the banana and flour thing would work. And if the avocado and flour thing were to work in terms of those (above linked) intricate designed pans fully/cleanly releasing the cakes, I have a feeling that they would probably be an ugly brown from the avocado.

Yes, mashed ripe bananas make wonderful fat and sugar replacers! I usually don't follow any recipes and whip up cakes/bars, and usually always mash up ripe bananas until they're almost wateryish and don't add sugar (or dates, maple syrup, etc.) as we find the desserts to be sweet enough.

Yes, you should give baking (healthy stuff, of course) a try!

LOL about bumping this topic to the top.

Thank you; and a very Merry Christmas to you!

[Mom+Me]

I bake a lot and my strategy is good nonstick bakeware, parchment when possible, and letting baked goods cool before trying to remove them from the pan.

Thank you, serene! Yes, I agree with you about all three things/tips you mentioned! My potential problem is wanting to use fancy shmancy pans that have all sorts of nooks and crannies: https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Plat ... 174&sr=8-3 and https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Fore ... 179&sr=8-2.

[VeganDisciple]

To be honest I just haven’t found their mcdougall baking to be on the same level as their unhealthy baking which is like iron chef status to me haha. But I think that’s the only struggle I’m thinking of. I’m full of experimental Noob (that’s a gamer term for novice lol in case anyone wondered) ideas though like what would happen if taking what serene said even further about letting it cool, And freezing it before removing it, in the case that those special pans still don’t release. I’m just full of curiosity lol. But lately I have been so surprised with my ability to play by ear when cooking. Not that I’m claiming to be skilled, just claiming to be lucky so far I think because i have created a couple pretty nasty things as well lately lol. 2 experiments to avoid repeating the other day when my wife made me mad (lol) I chopped up a bunch of vegetables like a maniac and threw it all in the pot with herbs and spices in less than 5 minutes and it ended up tasting nearly exactly like Tom yum soup. My mind was blown. I wasn’t trying to make Tom yum soup lol. But I’ve wanted to for a long time. But ya the point is, I love a challenge and I really wanna “beat” my “iron baker” family in the vegan baking arena haha. There’s gotta be a way to make healthy versions of the vegan stuff you buy in stores. Oh but I forgot about one recipe they have made very similar to something you’d buy in the store and that’s a type of cookies. I can share that recipe if you want but I’ve never attempted it. Pretty sure it was a recipe from mark Finley’s cookbook slightly altered.
Thanks for listening to my gobbledygook haha (I never knew that’s an actual word lol my IT professor used to always say it )

[VeganDisciple]

That's very interesting about the ones without a liner turning out better. I'm definitely tempted to make those cookies now Just a lot of fat if I eat too many of them because it has a lot of walnuts in it but maybe there's a way I could use fat replacer or something to replace some of the walnuts, I dunno. or bananas haha

[Mom+Me]

To be honest I just haven’t found their mcdougall baking to be on the same level as their unhealthy baking which is like iron chef status to me haha. But I think that’s the only struggle I’m thinking of. I’m full of experimental Noob (that’s a gamer term for novice lol in case anyone wondered) ideas though like what would happen if taking what serene said even further about letting it cool, And freezing it before removing it, in the case that those special pans still don’t release. I’m just full of curiosity lol. But lately I have been so surprised with my ability to play by ear when cooking. Not that I’m claiming to be skilled, just claiming to be lucky so far I think because i have created a couple pretty nasty things as well lately lol. 2 experiments to avoid repeating the other day when my wife made me mad (lol) I chopped up a bunch of vegetables like a maniac and threw it all in the pot with herbs and spices in less than 5 minutes and it ended up tasting nearly exactly like Tom yum soup. My mind was blown. I wasn’t trying to make Tom yum soup lol. But I’ve wanted to for a long time. But ya the point is, I love a challenge and I really wanna “beat” my “iron baker” family in the vegan baking arena haha. There’s gotta be a way to make healthy versions of the vegan stuff you buy in stores. Oh but I forgot about one recipe they have made very similar to something you’d buy in the store and that’s a type of cookies. I can share that recipe if you want but I’ve never attempted it. Pretty sure it was a recipe from mark Finley’s cookbook slightly altered.
Thanks for listening to my gobbledygook haha (I never knew that’s an actual word lol my IT professor used to always say it )

It is amazing the different kinda of healthy desserts that can be made! Though, it would be a lot easier and more palatable to those still eating the SAD to merely swap vegan butter for butter, etc.. I do admit that baking totally 100% oil-free may not always win over people. But, at least we can enjoy it knowing that we aren't harming ourselves and those we love...or any animals!

Congratulations on your recent successful culinary experiments!

Yes, if you don't mind, please do share their cookie recipe--thank you!