What’s the Difference Between Parchment and Waxed Paper?
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of parchment paper , but what about its less expensive yet non-stick friend, waxed paper? Why does it exist? Do you need it ?
Part of the Skillet The Grown-Up Kitchen series , designed to answer your most basic cooking questions and fill in any gaps that may be missing from your home chef education.
While both papers can be used to package food, separate layers of baked goods for storage, and provide a non-stick surface for candy to cure, there is one big and very important difference between the two. You see, wax paper is highly flammable, which means you can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t put it in the oven.
But just because he can’t stand the heat doesn’t mean he has to get out of the kitchen. Here are just a few ways to use wax coated cellulose:
- Lay it down on countertops and countertops before starting messy projects to make cleaning easier.
- Prevent frozen food ( such as bacon ) from sticking together.
- Use them as impromptu Swiffer sheets .
- Clean and lubricate the can opener .
- Wrap the sandwich .
- Let the candy and pastries freeze on top of it. (I know I mentioned this already, but candy-making season is approaching.)
- Fold it into a cone to make a piping bag .
Basically, if it is not related to the heat source, everything is fine. Can you do it all with parchment paper? Yes, but waxed paper is cheaper, and having it on hand saves on more expensive parchment for baking delicate pasta or making savory dishes in papillotes , which is great because running out of parchment is a terrible thing.