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Question: What is the difference when I bake in a glass versus metal pan?

—Maggie S.

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Answer:

Baking in a glass pan takes longer than baking in metal. The heat distribution in a glass pan is very uniform, but metal conducts heat better, so the pan and its contents stay hotter, says Chef Michelle Tampakis, Senior Baking Instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Also, black metal pans heat up more quickly, and, warns Tampakis, can brown baked goods too quickly.

Your best bet is to use the type of pan that is called for in the recipe whenever possible. When you see the term "baking pan" in a recipe, that generally refers to a metal pan, while "baking dish" usually refers to a glass dish.