I only use a nail in the larger or deeper pans. 10 inch or larger and/or 3 inch or deeper. Used one for a 12 inch today, baked at 325, and it turned out perfectly. I, also, don't like the strips....and I'm with you...it was a texture thing.
Now, as for DH mixes...every now and then I will get one that will not rise no matter that I followed the recipe to a T. This happened the 4th..making cupcakes for my family and they didn't rise and didn't cook right...well done on outside, raw on the inside...bizzare. So I pulled out another box and those baked up perfectly...same flavor from the same store shelf. So all I can think of is that sometimes the levening agent goes south and there is the problem..no rise. Just a guess of course.
Cat
About the codes U and D at the bottom of the Duncan Hines box here is the explaination from the Duncan Hines folks.
Dear Valued Consumer,
Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding Duncan Hines product. We genuinely appreciate your time and loyalty to our brand.
Kosher Anything marked with the kosher symbol (K) was manufactured in accordance with Hebrew dietary laws, which state that dairy products cannot be combined with meat products. Therefore, the kosher symbol indicates that the product contains dairy or meat but not both.
Kosher dairy - The kosher dairy (D) symbol indicates a product which either contains dairy or was manufactured on machines that process dairy.
Pareve - The pareve symbol (P) indicates that the product does not contain meat or dairy, though it may contain fish or eggs.
Rabbical Information - Our fish is Tablet K certified - Religious & Kitchen Supervision Inc. in New York.
Kosher Symbols
OU indicates: Product is Kosher (but not necessarily Kosher for Passover).
Contains neither dairy/meat nor any dairy/meat derivatives.
Made on equipment also used for making dairy products.
Not made on equipment used for making meat products.
In Kosher Lexicon, such a product is called Pareve.
Equipment, pots, dishes, cutlery, etc. that has not been used for dairy and not for meat is also called Pareve Equipment, Pareve Pots, etc.
Pareve foods may be eaten with milk or with meat.
Pareve foods may be re-cooked in any Kosher equipment be it meat/dairy.
OU-D indicates: Product is Kosher dairy (but not necessarily Kosher for Passover)
Contains a dairy ingredient or dairy derivative
Alternatively, the product, while not containing dairy itself, was made on equipment also used for making dairy products.
Kosher laws do not permit a dairy food to be eaten or cooked with meat or with foods made with meat ingredients.
Kosher laws dictate that if one has just eaten meat, one must wait a prescribed time before being allowed to eat a product marked OU-D
An OU-D product may not be reheated on or with any equipment, pot, pan, dishes, cutlery that was used for meat.
OU-M or OU-Glatt indicates: The product is Kosher meat or a product with meat ingredients or a derivative of meat (but not necessarily Kosher for Passover)
Alternatively, the product, while not containing meat ingredients itself, was made on equipment also used for making meat products.
Kosher laws do not permit meat or a food with meat ingredients to be eaten with or cooked with dairy or with foods made with dairy ingredients.
Kosher laws dictate that if one has just eaten dairy, one does not have to wait a prescribed time before being allowed to eat a product marked OU-M or OU-Glatt.
Though it is suggested to either rinse the mouth or have a half hour wait between the dairy food and meat.
An OU-M or an OU-Glatt product may not be reheated on or with any equipment, pot, pan, dishes, cutlery that was used for dairy.
OU-F indicates: The product is a Kosher product with fish ingredients (but not necessarily Kosher for Passover)
The product should NOT be eaten with nor cooked with meat or with foods made with meat ingredients.
It is permitted to eat an OU-F product right before or right after having meat.
OU-F products may be eaten and cooked together with Dairy foods.
While Kosher law allows cooking an OU-F product on meat equipment, it has become a custom to have a separate pot for cooking or reheating fish
An OU-P indicates: The product is Pareve and Kosher for Passover as well as for year-around
An OU-D-P indicates: Product is dairy and Kosher for Passover as well as for all year round
An OU-M-P or an OU-Glatt-P indicates: Product is meat and Kosher for Passover as well as for all year round
An OU-F-P indicates Product contains Fish and Kosher for Passover as well as for all year round
I do hope you find this information useful.
If there is anything additional we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to contact us again in the future.
Sincerely,
Erika Goodman
Consumer Relations Representative
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