However, there are a few caveats. Some manufacturers claim silicone does not stain. This has not been my experience with the colored trays. This is purely aesthetic and does not negatively affect performance. Silicone doesn’t produce crispy pastry like metal or stoneware muffin tins do, so I’ll often turn to the latter when making mini pies or other items with a crust. Depending on your preference, keep in mind that items such as cakes and muffins may not rise or brown to the same degree with silicone. Because you can’t preheat them like you can with metal, silicone muffin cups are not ideal for recipes such as Yorkshire pudding (page 98) or popovers (page 37) where you want to add the batter to a hot pan.
By far, the best quality silicone muffin trays are the Flexipan ones from Demarle at Home, makers of the widely popular Silpat baking sheet liner. Made with a combination of woven glass and food-grade silicone, the shiny black trays produce better browning, rising, and more even cooking than other silicone muffin trays and are the most nonstick of the silicone bunch. They also can be rolled for easy storage. Bonus: They come with a lifetime warranty. For best results, Demarle recommends placing their trays on a perforated baking sheet, allowing more contact with the heat of the oven.
Metal
Standing the test of time, metal muffin trays remain the preferred choice for many home bakers. I recommend purchasing one made with heavy-gauge steel such as aluminized or stainless, which allow for even heating and produce perfectly browned baked items. When you pick up the pan, you want it to feel solid and have some weight to it. Also, look for a tin with large, wide handles, which make it easier to transport into and out of the oven. Nonstick coating makes unmolding and cleanup easier, but I understand that not everyone trusts that these materials are completely safe. Filling empty metal cups with water can help prevent scorching during baking.
Stoneware
I was skeptical at first, but I now adore my rustic Pampered Chef stoneware muffin tray. Made from clay, it produces reliable results since heat distribution is even and the nonporous surface doesn’t retain odors. If not using paper liners, the more you use stoneware, the more “seasoned” and nonstick it becomes. Similar to cast-iron, it’s best not to use soap for cleaning purposes. If you end up with sticky bits on the bottom, simply boil some water, pour it into the cups, and let it sit for several minutes to loosen.
Thick, dense stoneware holds its heat, meaning it can continue to cook whatever is in the muffin molds after removal from the oven. For this reason, I try to pull out items such as muffins and mini cakes a couple of minutes earlier than a recipe calls for to prevent overcooked and dried out baked goods. Like silicone, do not use stoneware under the broiler.
Cast-Iron
As they say, food just tastes better when cooked in heavy metal. Old-school cast-iron muffin trays produce crusty baked goods that brown nicely and evenly. Some cast-iron products such as those from Lodge come preseasoned for improved nonstick performance, but if you rescue one from Grandma’s attic, you’ll probably want to season it again for better results. Cast-iron holds its heat exceptionally well, so similar to baking in stoneware, err on the side of pulling items out of the oven a little early, as they’ll continue to cook while sitting in the tray post-oven. As with all cast-iron cookware, a little loving care (don’t wash with soap and dry immediately) goes a long way to ensure a lifetime of great performance. Since it’s made out of iron, some of the mineral likely gets transferred to the food during baking. This is particularly beneficial for premenopausal women who often have poor iron levels due to menstrual blood loss and inadequate dietary intake.
Size Matters
Muffin tins generally come in three sizes: mini, medium, and jumbo.
Mini muffin trays that often have 12, 20, or 24 molds (holding about 2 tablespoons of batter each) per tray are great for making bite-size treats or a variety of crowd-friendly hors d’oeuvres.
Muffin trays with medium-size cups, sometimes called “standard” muffin trays, come with either 6 or 12 molds that hold about 1/2 cup each. This is the most versatile size for muffins, desserts, snack items, and savory side dishes.
Jumbo, or Texas-size, muffin trays most often have 6 individual cup molds and each has about a 1-cup capacity. They are an excellent option for hearty muffin tin main dishes.
A Sticky Situation
It’s completely deflating to put your heart into a recipe only to have huge chunks of it stick to the bottoms of the muffin cups. With the exception of silicone trays, which rarely need coating, greasing muffin cups with a moderate amount of oil or butter can often stymie serious sticking. This is particularly important for egg-based muffin tin creations such as frittatas, as eggs have the tendency to stick like cement. Be sure to get the oil or butter into all the crevices. After cooking, letting the items cool for several minutes in the muffin tray can go a long way in helping ensure intact extraction.
As long as you don’t mind the fluted surface they leave, another option to reduce the worry of sticking is paper
