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USING YOUR OVEN
if baked at the
regular
temperature.
The air is
re-
circulated and reheated. Uncovered,
longer
cooking
foods such as large pieces of meat
or other
foods
that can be
cooked in
low sided baking utensils
or
air leavened foods, are where
you
will see the
most
savings in cooking time. Using multiple rack at the
same time
will
achieve a good time saving, as
you
can cook more food
at
the same time. The
number
of recipes requiring preheating of the
oven
is reduced
considerably because the heat
reaches
the food
faster
as the hot air circulates around the food.
FOODS
SUITABLE
FOR
CONVECTION
BAKE
Air
Leavened Foods (angel food cake, souffles,
cream
puffs, meringue shells)
Appetizers
Breads
Main
Dishes
Oven
Meals (1 to
4
racks)
Cookies
Pies
Poultry
Roasts
CONVERTING
RECIPES TO
CONVECTION
BAKE
Low sided baking utensils
will
provide the best results,
as the hot air can reach all sides
of
the
utensil
easier.
The oven temperature can be left the same as the
recipe and the
food cooked
a shorter
period
of time.
The temperature
can
be lowered 25°F to 50°F and
the
food
will probably take the same length
of
time
to
cook
as the recipe states. If
you
find
that
food is
adequately browned
on
the outside,
but not
done
in
the center,
lower
the temperature another
25°F
and
add
to baking time.
When
reducing the temperature
always
check
the food for doneness, a minute
or
two
before
the
minimum
time
stated
in the recipe,
as time can always be added. Some recipes
will
cook
faster
than
others. There is no way to
predict
exactly how long each recipe will take when
you
convert
it to convection.
Convection
will
be easier to use after you have used
it a
few
times as
you
will
begin to understand the
way it
bakes.
SELECTING
UTENSILS FOR
CONVECTION
BAKE
Cooking by
convection
does not require any specially
designed baking utensils. You probably have many
utensils in
your
kitchen that are suitable to use.
When
choosing
a
baking utensil,
consider
the material, the
size and shape as they all affect the baking time, the
appearance of the finished product.
Metal bake ware (aluminum, steel
and
cast iron) all
result
in
the
fastest
cooking time and the
best
end
product. Aluminum pans work best
for
all types of
baked goods. For the
best
browning, use a pan
with
a dark
or dull
finish that absorbs heat,
when
baking
pies and breads.
A
shiny finish works best for cakes
and cookies, since it reflects some of the
heat and
provides a
tenderer
surface. Cookie sheets with only
one lip will give the best results, as the heated
air
can circulate all around the sides of
the
food.
For roasting, use bottom
of
the broil
pan and
elevate the
meat
on
a
metal
roasting rack. Glass-ceramic or glass
utensils
do not conduct heat as well as metal, but they
can be used. Use
them for
foods that do not require a
dark brown crust
or
crisping, such as souffles.
Baked items cook more quickly
and
evenly ifthey are
individually
smaller in
size,
i.e.
two or three small foods
do better
than
one large piece. When single food items
are baked, always center the rack. If
several
foods are
being
baked,
space them evenly
on the
racks.
RACK POSITIONS
One to
four
racks
can
be used simultaneously
during convection baking. Place the rack(s)
in
the
desired position
before turning the
oven
on. Store
the unused racks out of the oven.
Rack
position
2 (second
from
bottom) will probably
be used the most for single rack convection
baking.
When baking
on
more than one rack you do not
need to stagger the pans. Allow
at
least 1" of space
between the oven walls
and
the pans so the heated
air can circulate. Pans should be placed in the
center
of the
oven, stacked
above
each rack.
REGULAR BAKE
Bake is baking with hot convected air; there is no
fan. The
air movement
comes from
natural
convection
as the air heats, it moves to the top of the oven.
This oven mode is the same as you have
been
using
for baking on one or two racks.
FOODS SUITABLE FOR
BAKE
Appetizers
Pies, Cakes
Breads
Desserts
Main Dishes
Oven Meals
(1
to 2 racks)
Poultry
Roasts
CAUTION: Aluminum foil should never be used to
cover the oven racks or to line the oven bottom.
The trapped heat can damage the porcelain and
the heated air cannot adequately
reach
the food
being baked.
RACK POSITIONS
One
or
two racks can be used simultaneously during
bake. Place the rack(s) in the desired position
before turning the oven
on.
Store any unused racks
out of
the oven.
Rack position 2 (second from bottom)
will
probably
be used the
most
for single rack baking.
If you are using two racks simultaneously, be sure to
check the food
on
the bottom rack sooner than the
minimum time.
The
food
on
the
lower rack
position
may
cook
slightly faster than the food on the upper
rack, particularly if you
are
using large baking utensils
so
that
one is not directly above the other and the
heated
air
can circulate freely around
each
pan. Allow
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