Food silicone: composition, application

Silicone is a very common material used today for the production of products for a variety of purposes. This can be molds (forms designed for the manufacture of sculptures, jewelry, etc.), fishing gear, cosmetics, etc. However, the most popular is currently food silicone used for making kitchen accessories.

Dishes

Until recently, food silicone was used to make only baking molds. Today, it also makes dishes and all sorts of kitchen accessories. Very good performance characteristics are different, for example, colander and steamer made of silicone. To their absolute advantages can be attributed, above all, safety for health. Food silicone does not oxidize and does not emit any harmful substances even under strong heating. In addition, it is completely hypoallergenic. Colanders made of silicone, among other things, are very convenient to store. They can simply be folded several times and put in a locker.

Since silicone has a very low degree of thermal conductivity, it often produces potholders, thermo-insulating handles and supports for hot dishes. Operational qualities of such products are simply remarkable. Stands reliably protect the countertops from spoilage, and potholes allow you to remove dishes even with an open fire without the risk of burning your hands. The simplest kitchen accessories of this variety can, by the way, be made by yourself. For this purpose, liquid food silicone is usually used, from which the desired product is simply cast.

To the merits of dishes from this material can also be attributed durability. Abrasion, unlike, for example, from the same wood, it is completely unaffected. In addition, it differs elasticity and does not slip at all. These qualities have made it ideally suited for the manufacture of linings for cooking hammers and hoods under the glasses.

Molds made of silicone

Just very popular among housewives use molds made of this material. Food silicone is most often used for making molds. The advantages of using it for this purpose are several:

• As with dishware, good non-stick properties. Silicone baking molds should not even be greased when used.

• Elasticity. It is very easy to pull out pastries from this form. If desired, mold can even be turned inside out elementary.

• Absence of any smell. Flour products made in such molds completely retain their natural taste.

• Easy to clean. Wash shapes from this material very easily.

Molds made of silicone can be used not only for making flour products. Very often they are used for baking fruits, vegetables, meat and fish stews. Some mistresses make with their use beautiful sweets from pastilles and puddings.

How to distinguish a fake

Of course, all the advantages described above are distinguished only by high-quality food silicone, manufactured with observance of all put technologies. But, unfortunately, in the modern market there is simply a huge number of such products, cast from counterfeit material. To distinguish them from the real ones is possible by external signs:

• For a doubtful kind of packaging. The absence of a label and a description in Russian can indicate a low quality of dishes.

• The presence of an unpleasant smell of rubber.

• The appearance of a white vein on the bend.

Very cheap products from food silicone to buy it is not necessary. Too low cost can be a sign of forgery. Among other things, when buying such dishes, you should pay attention to the marking. The presence of CE letters means that the product conforms to European standards. FDA letters shall be inscribed on silicone crockery if it is checked for compliance with the requirements of the Office of Food Quality Control of the United States.

Disadvantages of silicone kitchen accessories

By the way, many housewives think that the tableware is too soft, and it is not very convenient to use objects because of this. In this case, the way out of the situation may be to purchase products of this type with a metal frame. Also, a disadvantage of silicone dishes is that it is not well washed in the dishwasher.

Composition of normal and food silicone

So, the forms and dishes from this material are considered completely harmless. But is it really so? Let's deal with this in more detail. All silicones are, in fact, no more than one of the varieties of artificial rubber. That is, they belong to a group of polymers with monomers that contain silicon atoms.

There is both a one-component and two-component silicone. In the latter case, in the manufacture of various products, a hardener is additionally used. All silicones from the silicon-oxygen chain - SiO-SiO-SiO - are made up. Organic side groups are added to this inorganic chain. They join through the silicon atoms. Changing the length of the main chain, varying the side groups, experts receive materials with different properties.

The composition of the silicone of any groups is thus practically the same. The food variant of this material differs from other varieties in that it includes various additives that increase its resistance to high temperatures and prevent destruction due to contact with food.

Many probably would like to know how to make a silicone at home. Unfortunately, it is impossible to produce his food variant with his own hands. You can only make a regular silicone, which can not be used for baking or cooking other dishes. This material is made of liquid glass and ethyl alcohol in different proportions.

On sale today there is also a very interesting edible silicone. It is used as a bait when fishing.

How to use silicone molds

When preparing baked goods using this kitchen accessory, it is worth observing the following rules:

• Pour the dough into the mold should be already when it is on the grate or on the baking sheet. Otherwise, because of the softness of the walls, to transfer it later, without splashing the contents, it will be problematic.

• Lubricate the form before use for baking is optional. Do this only once - after buying a new product.

• Cooked pastries should be kept in the form for several minutes. After that, it can be obtained without any problems.

• Use for the separation of burnt baking from silicone knives and all sorts of metal objects can not. It is very easy to tear or cut this material. Instead of a knife in such cases, use a wooden spatula.

Molds for freezing

If desired, silicone molds can be used not only for baking, but also for the preparation of frozen sweets or chilli. This material perfectly tolerates not only elevated, but also low temperatures. Above we considered how to make silicone, not food, but ordinary. For the manufacture of molds under ice, this option, by the way, may well come up.

There are even special forms of silicone, designed for ice making. It is very easy to pull out the finished product from them. You do not need to use a knife or anything else.

Like silicone dishes, forms intended for baking or freezing can be stored in a folded state. Of course, put such products on fire in any case impossible. The food silicone melts.

Sealant

Silicone food can be used not only for making forms and dishes. Its unique properties allow us to apply it in some other areas. For example, food silicone sealant is used in the repair of equipment at bakeries, confectionery factories, etc.

Application for cooking vegetables

Some housewives believe that in silicone molds everything is prepared a little faster than in another dish. In addition, it is easier to care for kitchen utensils from this material. Therefore, they use molds to prepare not only baking, but also other dishes in the oven or microwave. For example, in such a mold you can make a delicious ragout of vegetables on this recipe:

• A small piece of meat fights off, cut into small pieces and marinated in sour cream for half an hour.

• At this time, vegetables are cooked for baking. Potatoes and aubergines must be cut into cubes, carrots - slices, and cabbage finely chopped.

• Slicing should be folded into a cup and mixed, pre-salt.

• Then green peas are added to the mixture of vegetables.

• From above everything is sprinkled with chopped green onions.

• Then meat is added to the vegetables.

The resulting mixture is poured into a silicone mold and placed in the oven for about 1.5 hours.

Baking recipes

Flax products in such dishes, as already mentioned, are allowed to do absolutely any. It can be, for example, a delicious cupcake. It is prepared as follows:

• 200 g of margarine melts on the stove.

• It adds 1.5 cups of sugar (you do not need to remove the plate).

• In the resulting mixture is poured 4 tbsp. L. Cocoa and poured 100 ml of milk. The mixture should boil and cool.

Separately, you need to beat 4 eggs and pour them into the margarine mass. Then add a little soda and 2 cups of flour to the mixture. Then everything is thoroughly mixed and poured into a silicone mold. Bake the cake for 45 minutes.

How to make ice

For the preparation of ice in molds, it is best to purchase a mineral without gas. You can also use boiled water. Very unusual is obtained from the sweetened, tinted food coloring or juice of water. In this case, at the bottom of the mold first berry or a piece of some fruit is laid. Then the sweetened water is poured. Molds for ice, by the way, it is easy to manufacture including, using and food silicone sealant.

Other types

As already mentioned, silicone can be not only food. There is also a cosmetic version of it, medical and construction. Above we considered how to make silicone alcohol, which can be attributed to the group of construction. Such material is used for making molds for various kinds of decorative products. Medical silicone is most often used for implant casting. With the use of a cosmetic version, shampoos, shower gels, etc. are made.

Edible silicone, as already mentioned, is used in fishing. Lures made from it can have the form of fish or worms. There are a variety of options for these products.

As you can see, the scope of food silicone is quite wide. It can be used for making utensils, baking dishes and various kitchen utensils. By the way, for the production of such products, a one-component version of this material is usually used. Two-component silicone is often used to make molds for soap, figurines, etc. The fact is that in the hardener can contain various kinds of harmful substances to health.