Why grease the pan, then line with greaseproof/parchment paper?
Many recipes I've seen request this.
Is it just to stick the paper to the pan to make it easier to work with?
Best Answer
Greasing and lining with paper is something of a belt-and-braces approach to simply ensure the cake doesn't stick to the bottom of the tin. I have several recipes that go one step further and suggest greasing the paper as well afterwards. As you suggest, greasing the tin first also stops it from curling up.
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Quick Answer about "Why grease the pan, then line with greaseproof/parchment paper?"
By adding a lining of fat, it becomes impermeable to water and properly non-stick. I.e. it must be lined with fat to help release - like in your recipe. The terms are often confused. Actual grease-proof paper was standard but has now been mostly replaced with parchment paper.Why do you grease a pan before parchment paper?
Do I need to grease parchment paper? Nope! Parchment paper is already non-stick, so there's generally no need to grease your parchment paper. And if you're baking cookies, greasing the parchment paper will likely cause your cookies to overspread and become greasy, so definitely skip the grease.Do I need to grease the pan if I use parchment paper?
Parchment paper doesn't need any oil, food simply slides off of it. So rather then poking at a hot pan with a spatula, try parchment paper. You'll be shocked at how easy you can pull those cookies off the pan.Why do you need to use a grease paper to line the pan?
Lining the base of your tin with baking paper is particularly helpful if the cake has a wide base and shallow sides, such as a layer cake. Applying a thin layer of grease to the tin before fitting the paper will help it to adhere to the sides so your mixture can be added without disturbing the paper.Why Line a baking pan with parchment paper?
Always line cake pans with parchment paper The most important preparation you can make when baking a cake is to line the pans (these are the pans that I use) with parchment paper. This ensures that the bottom of the cake will not stick to the pan, and that it will all come out in one piece.Do you grease the pan when using parchment paper?
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Answer 2
As ElendilTheTall already pointed out, this is to prevent the paper from curling up. I have recipes with tin foil (that's aluminum) and grease. It goes like this: grease the tin, put the aluminum then grease the aluminum and flour...
But, I have great success (no cake sticking to the aluminum) without all this. I put the aluminum in the tin, pour the batter and bake. No problem. OK, doesn't answer your question...
Answer 3
This is required when using grease proof paper.
Grease proof paper and parchment paper are different things.
Parchment paper is neither fat nor water permeable so is non-stick in itself and doesn't require further greasing (although it's an option).
Grease proof paper isn't non-stick because while it isn't fat-permeable, it is water-permeable. By adding a lining of fat, it becomes impermeable to water and properly non-stick. I.e. it must be lined with fat to help release - like in your recipe.
The terms are often confused. Actual grease-proof paper was standard but has now been mostly replaced with parchment paper. The name and often the method persists though. Many don't realise there's a difference and have probably never actually seen grease-proof paper.
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