Conventional/Convection Cooking, Baking Tips

Cooking Tips

Cooking with your Oven

Conventional/Convection Cooking

Because of variations in food density, surface texture and consistency, some foods may be prepared more successfullyusing the conventional bake setting. For this reason, conventionalbaking is recommended when preparing bakedgoodssuch as custard. The user may find other foods that are also prepared more consistentlyin conventional bake. This is perfectly normal. Convection cooking is a cooking technique which utilizes fan forcesair to circulate heat throughout the entire oven cavity creating the optimum cooking environment. Cooking with convection is intended when performing multi-rack baking and for baking heavier foods. Below are some tips which will allow you to get the best results out of your oven when cookingwith convection.

•As a generalrule, reducethe temperatureby 25° F (10° C) when using a convection cookingfunction.

•Cooking times for standardbakingand convection baking will be the same. However, if using convectionto cook a single item or smaller load then it is possible to have 10-15%reduction in cooking time.

(Remember convectioncookingis designed for multi-rack baking or cooking large loads).

•If cooking items which requirelongerthan 45 minutes then it is possible to see a 10% - 15% reductionin cooking time. This is especially true for large items cookedin the convection roast function. •A major benefit of convectioncooking is the abilityto prepare foods in quantity. The uniformair circulationmakes this possible. Foods that can be preparedon two or three racks at the same time include: pizza, cakes, cookies, biscuits,muffins,rolls, and frozen convenience foods.

•For three-rackbaking,use any combinationof rack positions 2, 3, 4, and 5. For two-rack baking,use rack positions 2 and 4 or positions 3 and 5. Remember that the racks are numbered from bottom to top. •Items cooked in a convectionfunctioncan be easilyover baked. This being the case, it is usuallya good idea to pull items out of the oven just before they seem to be done. Items will continue to cook right after they are set out of the oven.

•Some recipes, especiallythose that are homemade,may require adjustment and testing when convertingfrom standard to convection modes. If unsurehow to converta recipe, begin by preparing the recipe in conventional bake. After achieving acceptable results, follow the convection guidelineslistedfor the similar food type. If the food is not prepared to your satisfactionduringthis first convection trial, adjust only one recipevariableat a time (cooking time, rack position, or temperature)and repeat the convection test. Continue adjusting one recipe variable at a time until satisfactory results are achieved.

Cooking with your Oven

Baking Tips

• Make sure the oven racks are in the desired position before you turn on the oven.

•Do not open the door frequently during baking. Look through the door window to check doneness whenever possible. If you must open the door, the best time is during the last quarter of the baking time.

•Bake to the shortest time suggested and check for doneness before adding more time. For baked goods, a stainless steel knife placed in the center of the product should come out clean when done.

•Use the pan size and type recommended by the recipe to ensure best results. Cakes, quick breads, muffins, and cookies should be baked in shiny, reflective pans for light, golden crusts. Avoid the use of old, darkened pans. Warped, dented, stainless steel and tin-coated pans heat unevenly and will not give uniform baking results.

Pan Placement Tips

•When using large (15" x 13") flat pans or trays that cover most of the rack, rack positions 2 or 3 produce the best results.

•When baking on more than one rack, it is recommended to use one of the convection modes and the 2nd and 4th position or the 3rd and 5th position for more even baking. When baking on three racks, use any combination of positions 2, 3, 4, and 5 for more consistent results.

•Stagger pans in opposite directions when two racks and several pans are used in conventional bake. If possible, no pan should be directly above another.

•Allow 1 to 2 inches of air space around all sides of each pan for even air circulation.

Single Rack Pan	Multiple Rack Pan
Placement	Placement

Cooking Tips