Lining a square pan with parchment paper is a lot like sticking a square block through a round hole… or at least it seems so.
I line just about everything I bake with parchment paper, whether I’m making brownies or pumpkin pie bars or ice cream sandwiches. Not only does it make cleanup easier, but it also makes for a better presentation: you can easily ‘lift’ the baked good out of the pan using the parchment paper as a sling of sorts. Set it down on a cutting board and you can much more easily slice your dessert into clean bars for serving.
I have two methods that I’d like to share with you, the first is most definitely the easiest. But for some reason, I’ve always done it the second way, which might seem like origami magic, but I find it produces crisp clean edges and corners with minimal leakage.
The foolproof method for getting parchment paper to lay flat is fast and ridiculously easy. Simply crumple it up into a ball and then spread it out to smooth out any wrinkles. That’s all you need to do to keep it from rolling back into its original shape.
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How to Make Parchment Paper Lay Flat
FAQ
How do you flatten parchment?
How do you get parchment paper to stay down?
How do you flatten parchment paper?
The best and easiest way of flattening parchment paper is probably by crumpling it. When you crush and crumple the paper and then flatten it out, the tendency to roll is no longer present. It doesn’t look as pretty, but you’ll have a much easier time baking with it!
How do you put parchment on a baking sheet?
Put a small dab of grease (butter or oil) in each corner of the baking sheet, then lay the parchment on it. The grease will hold it in place, but it may leave a residue, making reusing the paper less likely. Cut the sheet of parchment and press it between baking sheets or heavy cookbooks.
How do you make a paper look like parchment?
Tear a thin, jagged strip off the side. Or, dig small holes out of the paper with your fingernail; you can crumple these tiny wads and move them to other parts of the paper for a bumpy, parchment-like look. Additionally, you can press down on the paper with something like a fork to leave imprints.
How do you print on parchment paper?
Cut the parchment paper into the appropriate size for your printer. Use a regular sheet of paper for a template. Set the parchment paper into the printer in the same fashion you would regular copy paper. Print the image. Lay the parchment paper, printed side down, onto your raw clay. Press firmly. Burnish the image to the clay.