Get these classy springform pans with glass bases!

We love springform pans.  We use them all the time.  Not just for cheesecakes but for tarts, pies with crumb crusts, and desserts.   

Most of our springform pans have light-gauge, metal bottoms.  They warp and scratch and aren't very attractive.  And yet our desserts are fragile enough that we don't dare try to slip them off the metal bottom.  They are just not very presentable.

This springform pan has a tempered, scratch-resistant glass base.  It makes for a much nicer presentation.  Plus, the pan has a durable non-stick surface.  Plus, the pan has a dark surface instead of heat reflecting aluminum.  You'll love this springform pan.

Tips for Using Springform Pans

• Don't let them leak. If your batter is especially thin or there is a great deal of sugar in your recipe, your pan may leak through the seam along the base of the pan. (Only once have we had a minor leak with one of our pansand we've used them with lots of the recipes.)
• To protect against a leak, wrap the base of the pan with aluminum foil. Please note that with aluminum foil shielding the heat, it may take just a little longer to bake.
• Tinned, aluminum, or stainless springform pans may taint your cake with a metallic taste if it is stored on the pan base. It is okay to store the cake on a glass base or enameled base.
• If you are baking in a tinned, aluminum, or stainless pan or would like to remove the cake from the base, cut a sheet of parchment paper and fit it to the base.
• If you would like to give your cake away, line the pan as above.
• Let the cake sit in the pan for about five minutes before removing the ring. In a good nonstick springform pan or with a well-greased pan, the ring should fall away without needing to free it with a knife or spatula. To protect a nonstick finish, avoid using a metal edge against the finish.
• If you do need to free the cake from the ring, use a cake or frosting spatula without a sharp edge.
• Wash your pans with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth. While most pans are dishwasher safe, they take up a lot of room and in our experience, tend not to come clean.
•  Most springform pans are made of lighter gauge metal. Store them carefully where they will not get knocked around and possibly bent.

A thin silicone icing spatula like that shown below is perfect for loosening the ring from your cake.  It won't scratch your non-stick finish and it is flexible enough to follow the contour of the pan.  You can learn more about silicone spatulas below. 

Incidentally, if you heat a wet cloth in the microwave and set the glass base on the hot cloth for a few minutes, it softens the butter in the crust and makes the slices easier to remove. 

Suggested recipes:

• Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake. No wonder fine restaurants serve flourless chocolate cake. It's dense, moist, chocolaty, and incredibly good. But they can be a pain to make. But not this one--with only four ingredients and three steps.
  
• Orange Walnut Coffeecake. This is one of the best coffeecakes that we have ever tasted. Our test cake was gone in about a nanosecond.  It is designed for a seven-inch pan but can be doubled for a ten-inch pan.
• Parmesan and Bacon Cornbread. This is a great cornbread made in a nine-inch springform pan or skillet. Most cornbread recipes can be baked in springform pans which is great way to cut and serve crumbly cornbreads.
• New England Apple Pie Pastry. Is it a pie or an apple pastry? Its the best of both. Instead of a pie crust, it uses a cream cheese pastry dough for a very elegant and exciting dessert.
• German Chocolate Cheesecake. Youve got to make this for the holidays. It is good, easy, and spectacular.
• Pumpkin Cheesecake in a Gingersnap Crust. Instead of pumpkin pie, make this cheesecake. You and your guests will find it memorable.