Forum: cooking.stackexchange.com
Tags: <baking><substitutions><pastry>
Title: What to use instead of cling film to wrap pastry
Question: I'm trying to stay away from single use plastics for the environment. The only kitchen thing I have not yet managed to find a substitute for is wrapping pastry in cling film to let it rest in the fridge before rolling and baking. What can I use instead that doesn't let the pastry dry out while resting? I'm interested in a substitute that's either biodegradable or ideally reusable.

Answers:
sents: text: It is less useful than what you think Frame challenge incoming...
text: Cling film is very light and made especially for such purposes.
text: The environmental damage is extremely low - which limits what alternatives you can choose.
text: Most alternatives (including those already mentioned in the other answers) will be so much more resource demanding to make, dispose or recycle for it to be worth it.
text: Baking paper, while extremely useful - is full of silicones, so don't put it in the "paper" bin... and it is more resource demanding to make.
text: Teflon, cloth, etc - same deal!
text: Aluminium foil, for instance.
text: 75% of all Aluminium refined and made is still in use .
text: Because of the extremely friendly "recyclability" of aluminium, it is a very good material.
text: Just not for aluminium foil, it is rarely recycled .
text: People just throw it in the trash.
text: We destroy a valuable resource.
text: Cling film, on the other hand is dirt cheap to make and can safely be incinerated.
text: If you worry about polluting the sea - I'd see if there are any alternatives to landfilling your waste in your community.
text: As for carbon emissions - Walk once to the store instead of driving, and you'll be in the green even if you consider a life time supply of cling film.
text: Note: Some cling films are made with PVC, I'd consider switching to the less clingy, but better overall alternative LDPE.
text: PVC contains chlorides and while the environmental impact is still low, if you go for LDPE or similar it goes to negligible.
text: Check the box it came in to find which you have
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/71428/Stian Yttervik
score: 54
sents: text: Use Tupperware, or a plate over a bowl.
text: Since those items are reusable the environmental impact will be less so long as you keep using them.
text: You can get Tupperware that is mostly glass too.
text: Lots of places do this with their dough.
text: All that moisture will still be in there as the dough rises or rests.
text: As long as it's airtight it should work.
text: Alternatively you can put a damp tea towel over a bowl.
text: This will allow the pastry dough to breath while maintaining moisture.
text: Make sure the towel doesn't dry out though.
text: If it does, your dough will too.
text: Just add some more water to the towel when it starts to get dry.
text: Bakers use some variation of tupperware and damp towels all the time.
text: Plate over a bowl won't work as well, but it should still work.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/None/
score: 37
sents: text: You don't have to use clingfilm (cling wrap, saran wrap depending where you are in the world), there are alternatives as long as the pastry is not sticky: Plastic bags:
text: I reuse zippable plastic bags as many times as I can, you can wash them by turning them inside out Baking paper: baking paper can be re-used as long as it stays clean Aluminum foil: again this can be reused several times A damp towel: if all you want is to let pastry rest for an hour in the fridge then a damp tea towel works pretty well.
text: Just make sure it is damp, not wet, or you risk moisture from the towel getting into the pastry and making it too wet
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/19707/GdD
score: 11
sents: text: Put it in a bowl, large enough so the dough doesn't reach the top (if possible), cover it with a damp dishtowel (not wet, just damp).
text: Voila.
text: Totally ecological, and works better than plastic wrap because the dough can breathe.
text: If the towel touches the dough, you might have to scrape it off depending on the dough and the time involved, but that's not really a problem.
text: Make sure to use a smooth towel, not a textured one which will both stick to the dough more and probably hold too much water.
text: And use a clean one of course.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/None/
score: 7
sents: text: I have reusable teflon sheets for lining cake tins and baking sheets.
text: They also work well for wrapping pastry and dough.
text: With pastry the easiest way is to make a folded parcel with the opening side underneath on a plate or dish.
text: They wash up by hand or in the dishwasher and also save you lots of baking parchment/greaseproof paper and some foil.
text: Another option is a plastic box only a little larger than the pastry.
text: With very little exposed surface area and very little air in the box it won't dry out noticeably.
text: The two options can be combined - ina box with a small piece of the teflon sheet (an offcut perhaps) on top
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/20413/Chris H
score: 5
sents: text: I have always used wax paper to wrap pastry for the fridge.
text: It's always worked for me.
text: (Note: this is not the same thing as the baking paper/parchment mentioned in other answers.)
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/42293/GentlePurpleRain
score: 4
sents: text: If your question can be changed slightly to: What to use instead of cling film to prevent pastry dough from drying out when resting (or storing) in the refrigerator?
text: , here is what I would do.
text: Similar to what others have suggested, find a glass container or plastic tub with lid a little larger than the footprint of the dough.
text: Place a ramekin (smaller than footprint of dough) in it upside down (or something else you have around your kitchen to elevate the dough), add a little water to the bottom of the container, place dough on ramekin, cover with lid.
text: Dough should not touch water, of course, sides, or lid.
text: This method is used by home cheesemakers to create a humid environment.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/60742/Arlo
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
You can keep it in a plastic container slightly larger than the pastry, or a bowl covered with a damp teatowel, a plate, a teflon sheet or wax paper.
Alternatives to wrapping pastry in cling film include wrapping in wax paper, putting in a bowl with a damp cloth over the top, putting in a plastic box with teflon sheet on top or putting the pastry in tupperware.