Emma Miller
In cooking forums, you can often find questions about which side of the foil to cover the baking tray or which side to put the foil on so that it does not burn. Is there really a difference between matte and glossy foil? Let’s find out.
The different surfaces of foil are the result of the technological process. Aluminum is rolled into thin sheets of foil by metal rollers. It is as a result of this process that one side of the foil is polished to a shiny finish, while the other side remains matte.
Which side to put the foil on the baking tray
The network usually recommends wrapping foods for baking so that the matte side is on the outside. There is an opinion that in this way the frosted side will not reflect heat and the food will bake faster.
In fact, it does not matter which side to put the foil on matte or glossy. The final product in terms of taste will be the same in both cases.
It does not matter which side to put the foil on when baking potatoes or which side of the foil to bake a biscuit. The only important thing is how tightly wrapped the food is in the foil: a layer of air between the foil and the food can reduce the temperature of the space inside the foil and thereby increase the cooking time.
Note that there is a special foil for baking in the oven. One of its sides has a special non-stick coating. Usually, this side is matte and has a special marking from the manufacturer.
Which side of the foil keeps cold?
Recall that the glossy side of the foil partially reflects light and heat, and matte – on the contrary, absorbs heat. Thus, if the dish should stay cold, wrap it with the glossy side outward. If you want to keep it warm longer, wrap it with the glossy side inward.
However, at high temperatures – when baking in the oven – these differences don’t matter.
