27341. How many use the bake/convection vs bake option on their oven?
If you are new to fan convection it is just another tool to use in cooking. I use it only when I think there is a benefit to using it.
By moving air it does two things.
It increases heat transfer
-It evens out the heat while the oven is preheating and ideally evens out the heat while you are baking/roasting. The radiant heat from the walls of the oven also plays a very important in this.
-by making the heat more "even", it can change the direction of the heat toward food you are cooking. There can be more heat from the sides and top, so something like a cake might rise differently with heat coming from all directions. Pies typically need to have heat from the bottom.
-Things cook quicker. This varies a lot and it is trial and error to see when you should turn the temperature down and shorten the cooking time, which can be by 10-30%.
The movement of air is drying.
-This promotes browning and crispness. For meat unless it is very thin, the drying is superficial. The internal moisture is determined by the internal temperature at the end of cooking. Some cookies benefit from this.
-Drying is often not the best thing for something that has to rise, during the time it has to rise, the first part of baking. It is good for the second half when you want it to brown.
There is a huge difference in ovens so these effects can vary widely. It can depend on the size, speed and number of fans. Some ovens have additional elements by the fans called true or European convection. Sometimes there is just an on and off switch for the fan while other times the fan and elements are controlled by computer boards and have various modes with lower speed for baking and higher speeds for roasting. An additional consideration might be whether the oven is gas or electric. Gas ovens although they produce water as a byproduct of combustion, are ventilated much more so you lose the humidity. Electric ovens although the heat is "dry" is ventilated much less so holds on to the moisture from the food you are cooking. I often use convection for only part if the cooking time. It is a learning curve but I really like using it when applicable.
If you are new to fan convection it is just another tool to use in cooking. I use it only when I think there is a benefit to using it.
By moving air it does two things.
It increases heat transfer
-It evens out the heat while the oven is preheating and ideally evens out the heat while you are baking/roasting. The radiant heat from the walls of the oven also plays a very important in this.
-by making the heat more "even", it can change the direction of the heat toward food you are cooking. There can be more heat from the sides and top, so something like a cake might rise differently with heat coming from all directions. Pies typically need to have heat from the bottom.
-Things cook quicker. This varies a lot and it is trial and error to see when you should turn the temperature down and shorten the cooking time, which can be by 10-30%.
The movement of air is drying.
-This promotes browning and crispness. For meat unless it is very thin, the drying is superficial. The internal moisture is determined by the internal temperature at the end of cooking. Some cookies benefit from this.
-Drying is often not the best thing for something that has to rise, during the time it has to rise, the first part of baking. It is good for the second half when you want it to brown.
There is a huge difference in ovens so these effects can vary widely. It can depend on the size, speed and number of fans. Some ovens have additional elements by the fans called true or European convection. Sometimes there is just an on and off switch for the fan while other times the fan and elements are controlled by computer boards and have various modes with lower speed for baking and higher speeds for roasting. An additional consideration might be whether the oven is gas or electric. Gas ovens although they produce water as a byproduct of combustion, are ventilated much more so you lose the humidity. Electric ovens although the heat is "dry" is ventilated much less so holds on to the moisture from the food you are cooking. I often use convection for only part if the cooking time. It is a learning curve but I really like using it when applicable.