Baking tins

punkinthefirst, Sep 10, 6:13am
Now, I might be a dinosaur, but I would love to find a source for baking tins that do NOT have a non-stick finish. No matter how careful I am, I find that the non-stick finish starts to peel after a very short time, and the pans have to be thrown out.
In contrast, I have baking tins of the old-fashioned kind which, because they were properly seasoned in the first place, have not had anything stick to them in over 50 years. When I can (and need them) I pick up similar ones from op-shops and second hand shops, but they're getting somewhat hard to come by.
I did succumb yesterday, and bought a non-stick bread tin. Only trouble is, the instructions (which were on the underside of the cardboard liner) say don't use it at temperatures over 200 degrees C. Since most yeast breads are baked at between 200 and 230 degrees, I'll only be able to bake date and other fruit loaves in it. not what I bought it for. Makes you wonder if the manufacturer of these things knows anything about their actual use!
petal1955, Sep 10, 12:43pm
Use baking paper to line tins. doesnt matter if the coating peels off. you baking wont stick
punkinthefirst, Sep 10, 4:31pm
Do that as well. But WHY can't the damn manufacturers leave well alone and supply baking tins WITHOUT the non-stick finish? It isn't needed!
daarhn, Sep 10, 6:36pm
all my baking tins are sourced from opshops. The more seasoned the tin the better. Most folk would say yuck at the look of them. But me I would leap and shove aside to grab those prized baking tins.
fifie, Sep 10, 6:57pm
I threw out all my old baking tins, they were well seasoned with years of use in all shapes and sizes when we shifted. 3 days later after thinking about it, I went to the op shop I gave them to looking to buy them back, there was one left I could have cried. Big mistake and lesson learnt.
ruby2shoes, Sep 10, 7:06pm
how do you "season" baking tins?
punkinthefirst, Sep 11, 1:58am
Take a new metal tin. Give it a good scrub and dry well in the oven.Grease with a thin layer of butter, making sure you don't miss any little nooks and crannies, then bake it in the oven until it JUST starts to smoke. Cool it a bit and repeat a couple of times. A very thin layer of baked on butter oil will develop. Wipe the tin thoroughly with a paper towel - or better, a piece of old clean towelling to remove the excess grease, and from then on, try never to wash your tins. If you have to wash them, NEVER use detergent or a scourer, and make sure you dry them in a warm oven, and reapply a couple of layers of butter, as before. They'll go dark, but nothing much will stick if they're greased and bottom-lined with paper each time you use them. And the finish doesn't peel off or go rusty, or burn in normal use.
My original beef was with a manufacturer who was fool enough to make a loaf tin with a finish that can't be used at temperatures hot enough to bake a loaf. Glad to see there are others out there who love the good old stuff. Now, where can we get a decent hand-turned egg beater that doesn't fall apart at about its third use?
nauru, Sep 11, 2:41am
Alison Holst recommends 200C for most of the recipes in her bread book. I'd just give your new loaf pan a go at that temp, it should be OK. I usually bake my bread @190C which I find is just right in my bench oven.
wendalls, Sep 15, 12:54am
My husbands family made" bonco" tins. I bought some off here so my kids could have some real family heirlooms. They are Bond family and the name came from Bond and co. The business went under when larger manufacturers were more competitive from what I understand when having to find out family history for school projects. More noteworthy than my family. "gentleman"-
of means, sailed his ship out from England, alcoholic, and later probable morphine addict. Ship sank on a bar somewhere in NZ. hmm.
wendalls, Sep 15, 12:56am
Lots of boncos on here now! I don't eat carbs so not much baking for me nowadays.
popeye333, Sep 15, 2:50am
I was lucky to get 12 individual metal moulds today for puddings etc. And 16 cream horn tins.

Love the older stuff.

Although i do have 2 wonderfull heavy loose bottom tins from the warehouse that are lovely
2bit, Sep 15, 7:18am
Go to a commercial kitchen stockist instead of the Warehouse or wherever. The stuff might cost a bit more upfront but you'll have it for life.
punkinthefirst, Sep 15, 4:34pm
I do, when I'm near one. Unfortunately, I'm about an hour south of Napier, and a fair way away from chef's suppliers in Rotorua and Wellington where I love to shop when I can. The problem is a first world one, I guess, but i fail to see what advantage the non-stick finishes give anyone other than the manufacturer (who has the opportunity to sell new equipment to replace equipment that becomes unusable before it should). It is yet another wasteful practice in an increasingly throw-away society.
Ahhhhhh, Bonco ! Some of my originals are this brand.
crazynana, Sep 17, 7:58pm
punkinthefirst. when we lost our house in the earthquakes and had to move I put all my lovely baking tins etc in a big carton which somehow vanished into the wide blue yonder so I have been slowly replacing them. On here there is edlp1 and they have uncoated baking tins. They are not fabulous quality like our old "inherited from Mum" ones but you can scrub them with steelo and they are fine. Nothing is as good as old Bonco ones though.
punkinthefirst, Sep 18, 3:25am
To be scrupulously truthful, I shouldn't need them, as I don't eat my baking. its one of those things I do these days for other people, to tell them I love them, or to say thank you. It has always been something that I do well, and enjoy. I was just having a rant in my first post. STILL don't know why they bother with the finish, though, and it is great to hear all of your experiences!
maximus44, Sep 18, 4:18am
I have a lot of my mother's baking tins - they are the best.
meoldchina, Sep 18, 10:34pm
Great story! Love the idea of the alcoholic sailor sinking on a bar!
lazkaz, Sep 19, 2:26pm
Great story - great play on words.
tired-mamma, Sep 21, 2:28pm
I was reading a beekeeping book recently and it talked about using beeswax to seal baking tins and how eventually you don’t need to regrease. I don’t think it will be that long as even boiling water had trouble shifting it from my cheese grater
sherrydog, Sep 23, 2:56am
Try all the op shops. I am a volunteer in one and the old fashioned tins go like a rocket. You have to be in pretty quickly after we have put them out though! Good luck - these tins sure last the test of time.
buzzy110, Sep 23, 6:37pm
Have you checked out baking tins on the Millie's website?
flower-child01, Dec 19, 10:58am
I too source the good ole, Bonco is a great brand, as is Willow.