BAKING
(continued)
Pies
For best results, bake pies in dark, rough or dull pans to produce a browner, crisper crust. Frozen pies in foil pans should be placed on an aluminum cookie sheet for baking since the shiny foil pan reflects heat away from the pie crust; the cookie sheet helps retain it.
Cakes
When baking cakes, warped or bent pans will cause uneven baking results and poorly shaped products. A cake baked in a pan larger than the recipe recommends will usually be crisper, thinner and drier than it should be. If baked in a pan smaller than recommended, it may be undercooked and batter may overflow. Check the recipe to make sure the pan size used is the one recommended.
Aluminum Foil
Never entirely cover a shelf with aluminum foil. This will disturb the heat circulation and result in poor baking. A smaller sheet of foil may be used to catch a spillover by placing it on a lower shelf several inches below the food.
Don’t Peek
Set the timer for the estimated cooking time and do not open the door to look at your food. Most recipes provide minimum and maximum baking times such as “bake
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