Baking support

A baking support that is a flat sheet of metal bent into a particular 3-dimensional shape and having a body portion and a plurality of leg portions. Optionally, the support includes stippling and/or depressions. Optionally, the support includes neck and head portions, with a bend to prevent the dough from sliding down the support. Optionally, there are a series of removable slats or dowels that extend through holes in the support surface about which the dough is arranged to create knees and elbows. Optionally, a finger extends from the surface for creating holes or openings in the baked product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to bread baking supports, more specifically, 
to devices for supporting bread dough in specific positions so as to 
create particular shapes while baking. 
2. The Prior Art 
Ever since dough has been baked into bread and cakes, there has been a 
means for supporting the dough while it bakes. The earliest form is what 
is now called the cookie sheet, a flat sheet of metal upon which the dough 
rests while baking so that only the bottom is supported. As the dough 
bakes, it spreads outwardly and upwardly, resulting in a baked product 
that has a flat bottom and an approximately uniformly rounded upper 
surface. Later came bread and cake pans which, unlike cookie sheets, 
support the dough on all sides except the top. As the dough bakes, it can 
only spread upwardly, resulting in a baked product that has bottom and 
sides molded to the pan, and an approximately uniformly rounded upper 
surface. Modern technology has been applied to these very old implements 
in the form of newer, more durable materials and non-stick coatings. 
There are occasions when it is desired to make three-dimensional baked 
objects, such as animal figures. The existing baking supports cannot be 
easily adapted to do so. For example, the animal body components, such as 
the legs, torso, head, and tail, are typically baked separately, and then 
attached together somehow. Because the body components are not formed from 
one piece of dough, the final product is not very robust and comes apart 
easily at those points where the components are attached together. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus 
that supports dough while baking so that a robust three-dimensional baked 
product is formed. 
Another object is to provide an apparatus that will shape legs, arms, and 
holes into a baked product. 
The baking support of the present invention is basically a flat sheet of 
metal that is bent into a particular 3-dimensional shape. Unlike the bread 
pans of the prior art, the shape into which the metal sheet is bent 
supports a portion of the dough only on the dough's bottom, so that the 
dough is not restricted to expanding only upwardly while baking. And 
unlike the cookie sheets of the prior art, the bottom of the dough is not 
flat, but is shaped in three dimensions. 
The present invention contemplates that the support has at least a body and 
a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the body portion, where the 
support stands on the legs. With these limitations, an essentially 
infinite variety of shapes are possible, for example, shapes to create 
various animal figures. Another limitation, however, is that the highest 
point of the dough cannot be at an end where the support is inclined far 
enough from the horizontal to cause the dough to slide downwardly, 
distorting the final shape of the baked product. 
The preferred materials for the support depend upon the manner of use of 
the support. For non-disposable supports, a sturdy, durable material is 
needed, such as stainless steel. For disposable supports, a lighter, 
inexpensive material can be used, such as an aluminum alloy. Optionally, 
the support has a non-stick coating. 
Optionally, the support includes stippling and/or depressions to help 
maintain to position of the dough on the support during baking. Stippling 
and depressions may also provide a shaped and/or textured bottom surface 
on the baked product. Optionally, the head portion of a support may 
include a "duckbill", which provides the same basic function as the 
depressions and stippling, to prevent the dough from sliding down the neck 
portion during baking and to provide a more defined head shape. The dough 
catches in a sharp corner of the duckbill to prevent it from sliding off 
the head portion. 
Optionally, there are a series of projections from the support surface 
about which the dough is arranged in order to create knees and elbows. 
Preferably the projections are removable slats or dowels that extend 
through holes in the support surface. Optionally, the support has a finger 
extending from the surface for creating holes or openings in the baked 
product. The finger is either removable or permanent. The outer 
cross-section of the finger has the shape desired for the opening in the 
baked product. 
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the 
following drawings and detailed description of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The baking support 10 of the present invention is basically a flat sheet of 
metal that is bent into a particular shape, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
Unlike the bread pans of the prior art, the shape into which the metal 
sheet is bent supports a portion of the dough only on the dough's bottom, 
so that the dough is not restricted to expanding only upwardly while 
baking. And unlike the cookie sheets of the prior art, the bottom of the 
dough is not flat, but is shaped in three dimensions. 
The present invention contemplates that the support 10 will have a body 
portion 12 and at least two leg portions 14 extending downwardly from the 
body portion 12. The support stands on the lower ends of the leg portions 
14. Within these parameters, an essentially infinite variety of shapes are 
possible. Typical of the variety are the shapes of FIGS. 1 and 2, where 
the support of FIG. 1, which also includes a neck portion 16, a head 
portion 18, and a tail portion 20, will create a baked product in the 
shape of a dinosaur, and where the support of FIG. 2 will create a baked 
product in the shape of a starfish. The support can be shaped so that 
different portions of the supported side of the dough are inclined at any 
angle from horizontal to vertical. However, there is one limitation. The 
highest point of the dough cannot be at an end where the support is 
inclined far enough from the horizontal to cause the dough to slide 
downwardly, distorting the final shape of the baked product. Typically, as 
at 24, the highest point of the support is at an arch, so that at least a 
portion of the dough on both sides of the arch drapes lower than the arch, 
as at 56 in FIG. 7, preventing the dough from sliding downwardly. The 
maximum incline permitted depends upon several characteristics, include 
the tackiness of the dough, the material of which the support is composed, 
and the physical characteristics of the support surface, such as the 
existence of depressions or stippling, as described below. 
The preferred materials from which the support 10 is composed include 
stainless steel, aluminum, and aluminum alloys. The chosen material 
depends upon the amount and type of use the support 10 will receive, 
whether or not the support is intended to be disposable and whether or not 
the shape of the support 10 is intended to be alterable by the user. For 
non-disposable supports, a sturdy, durable material is needed. The most 
preferred material for non-disposable supports is AISI Type 304 stainless 
steel (18% chromium, 8% nickel, 2% manganese, 1% silicon, less than 0.08% 
carbon), having a thickness of between approximately 10 mils (10/1000 
inch) and approximately 30 mils. The thickness determines how easily the 
support is bent. For disposable supports, a lighter, inexpensive material 
can be used. The most preferred material for disposable supports is an 
aluminum alloy, having a thickness of between approximately 10 mils and 
approximately 20 mils. 
Optionally, the support includes stippling 26, as shown in FIG. 3, which is 
used when the shape of the support 10 would normally cause difficulty with 
gravity in maintaining the position of the dough on the support during 
baking. Typically, the user lightly presses the dough into the stippling 
26. Stippling 26 may also be used to provide a textured bottom surface on 
the baked product. 
Optionally, the support includes depressions 28, as shown in FIG. 4, which 
are used, as with the stippling, when the shape of the support 10 would 
normally cause difficulty in maintaining the position of the dough on the 
support during baking. Depending upon the location of the depressions 28, 
either gravity will push the dough into the depressions 28, or the user 
lightly presses the dough into the depressions 28. Depressions 28 may also 
be used when a rounded bottom is desired in the baked product, such when 
simulating the belly of an animal figure. 
Another option is the "duckbill" 30, as shown in FIG. 4. The duckbill 30 is 
used on a raised portion of the support, typically the head portion 18, 
and provides the same function as the depressions and stippling, to 
prevent the dough from sliding down the neck portion 16 from the desired 
position on the head portion 18 during baking. The dough is draped over 
the duckbill 30, as in FIG. 7, and catches in a sharp corner 32 to prevent 
the weight of the dough from causing it to slide off the head portion 18. 
The duckbill 30 also provides more definition to the shape of the head of 
the baked product, making it more distinguishable from the neck. 
Sometimes it is desired that the baked product have bends in vertical 
components, for example, a knee in a leg or an elbow in an arm. The 
preferred apparatus for accomplishing this is shown in FIG. 4 as a series 
of posts 34 projecting from the main surface 36 about which the dough is 
arranged. The posts 34 must be sized so that, when baking, the dough does 
not expand to surround the posts 34. If this should occur, the baked 
product will be more difficult to remove from the support 10 and be more 
easily damaged in the process. 
Preferably the posts 34 are removable, as in FIG. 4. There are slotted 
openings 38 within the main surface 26 through which extend slats 40. The 
slats 40 can be any material that the dough will not adhere to and that 
can withstand the temperatures used during baking. A typical example is 
wood, as in a wooden tongue depressor. Alternatively, the openings are 
round through which round dowels extend. If the dough should expand around 
the removable slats or dowels while baking, the slats or dowels can be 
slowly pulled from the baked product before attempting to remove the baked 
product from the support, minimizing the risk of damage to the baked 
product. 
It is occasionally desired to have an opening in the baked product for 
functional or aesthetic reasons. The problem is that as the dough bakes 
and expands, any opening will become substantially smaller or even close 
up completely. The solution provided by the present invention is another 
form of projection similar to the posts: a finger 42 that extends from the 
support surface 44. The finger 42 is either removable or not removable. 
There are many ways known in the art to make the finger 42 removable, any 
and all of which are contemplated here. The outer cross-section of the 
finger 42 has the shape desired for the opening, such as round or 
star-shaped. As the dough bakes, it is prevented from expanding into the 
opening by the finger 42. The baked product is removed by sliding it off 
the finger 42 away from the main support. If the finger 42 is not 
removable, it cannot be larger at its outer end 46 than at the support 
surface 44, otherwise the baked product cannot be removed. Also, if there 
is more than one non-removable finger 42, they must be parallel, otherwise 
the baked product cannot be removed. 
Optionally, the support surface has a non-stick coating. Because a 
non-stick coating will render the support surface slippery, a non-stick 
coating is only advantageous if the dough can be draped on the support 10 
so that the weight of the dough is balanced enough that it does not slide 
off the support during baking. 
OPERATION 
The dough is formed into the shape necessary to fit on the support 10. Two 
methods for forming the dough suggest themselves. In the first method, the 
dough 50 is rolled into thin rope-like shapes 52 and then combined into 
the appropriate shape, as in FIG. 6. The rope shapes are tacked together, 
as at 54, such as by pressing them together until they stick to each 
other. In the second method, the dough is rolled out into a flat sheet and 
an appropriately shaped cookie cutter is used to cut the dough into the 
shape for the support 10. 
After the dough is formed, it is draped over the support 10, as in FIG. 7, 
lightly pressing it as necessary into any formations, such as depressions, 
stippling, and duckbill 18, routing it around projections 26. Where a 
finger is used, the dough may be cut out at the finger or it may be 
wrapped around the finger and tacked together. 
After the dough is draped onto the support 10, the combination is placed in 
an oven and baked at the appropriate temperature. After baking, the baked 
product is removed from the support 10 as described above and used as 
desired. 
Thus it has been shown and described a baking support which satisfies the 
objects set forth above. 
Since certain changes may be made in the present disclosure without 
departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all 
matter described in the foregoing specification and shown in the 
accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting 
sense.