Baking Pans, Pan Placement, Baking Guides, Cookies

Baking Pans

Use the proper baking pan. The type of finish on the pan determines the amount of browning that will occur.

●Dark, rough or dull pans absorb heat resulting in a browner, crisper crust. Use this type for pies.

●Shiny, bright and smooth pans reflect heat, resulting in a lighter, more delicate browning. Cakes and cookies require this type of pan.

. Glass baking dishes also absorb heat. When baking in glass baking dishes, reduce the temperature

by 25°F.

Pan Placement

For even cooking and proper browning, there must be enough room for air circulation in the oven. Baking results will be better if baking pans are centered as much as possible rather than being placed to the front or to the back of the oven.

Pans should not touch each other or the walls of the oven. Allow 1- to 1 X-inch space between pans as well as from the back of the oven, the door and the sides. If you need to use two shelves, stagger the pans so one is not directly above the other.

Baking Guides

When using prepared baking mixes, follow package recipe or instructions for the best baking results.

Cookies

When baking cookies, flat cookie sheets (without sides) produce better-looking cookies. Cookies baked in a jelly roll pan (short sides all around) may have darker edges and pale or light browning may occur.

Do not use a cookie sheet so large that it touches the walls or the door of the oven. Never entirely cover a shelf with a large cooking sheet.

For best results, use only one cookie sheet in the oven at a time.

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.

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.

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 30-40 minutes.”

DO NOT open the door to check until the minimum time. Opening the oven door frequently during cooking allows heat to escape and makes baking times longer. Your baking results may also be affected.

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