BAKING
(continued)
Preheating
Preheat the oven if the recipe calls for it. Preheat means bringing the oven up to the specified temperature before putting the food in the oven.
To preheat, set the oven at the correct temperature— selecting a higher temperature does not shorten preheat time.
Preheating is necessary for good results when baking cakes, cookies, pastry and breads. For most casseroles and roasts, preheating is not necessary. For ovens without a preheat indicator light or tone, preheat 10 minutes. After the oven is preheated place the food in the oven as quickly as possible to prevent heat from escaping.
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 2 to 4 cm (1 to 11⁄2″) 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 best baking results.
Cookies
When baking cookies, flat cookie sheets (without sides) produce
Cookies can be baked on several shelves at the same time but browning may be uneven because of reduced air circulation.
Do not use a cookie sheet so large that it touches the walls or the door of the oven.
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 centimeters below the food.
Do not put aluminum foil on the oven bottom.
16
