You can bake anything in a Convection oven that can be baked in a regular oven.
The difference is that a Convection oven has a fan system that evenly distributes the hot air throughout the oven. Because of this, you can reduce cook time up to 25%. You MAY also need to reduce the cooking temperature. It's a "trial and error" kind of thing.
We have a Convection toaster oven and it definitely has taken some getting used to.
Here is some more detailed info:
Quote:
Cooking with Convection Ovens:
Although the same recipes will work on a convection oven as in a standard oven, there are some guidelines that should be followed for best results:
When baking, oven temperature should be reduced by 25° F. Times will be approximately the same to a few minutes less than the recipe or package recommends. Preheating is still recommended if the recipe calls for it. Alternatively, temperatures can be lowered slightly, and cooking times reduced proportionally.
Example: A recipe calling for a cake to be baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes should be cooked at 320-325 degrees for 30 minutes, or alternatively 340 degrees for 25 minutes.
If the original conventional recipe baking time is less than 15 minutes, this time should be kept the same but the temperature should be reduced by 25-30 degrees F.
When roasting, temperatures stay the same, but the cooking time should be reduced. The time savings will depend on the size of food being prepared. Pans with high sides should not be used. The sides interfere with optimal air circulation and can decrease browning. (Preheating is not necessary for roasting.)
Example: A recipe calling for a roast to be baked at 400 degrees for 50 minutes should be cooked at 400 degrees for approx. 30-35 minutes.
As with any recipe, the food should be checked about 5-10 minutes before the expected finish time, due to variables such as the temperature of the food when first placed in the oven, quantity of food being cooked, individual preference, etc. The more food in the oven at one time, the longer the cooking time.
To maintain consistent air flow, the oven door must be kept tightly closed while it's in operation.
Note that convection cooking only works when the moving air comes in direct contact with the food. Meats cooked in a close roaster or casseroles will not cook much differently in a convection oven than they do in a standard model.
Shiny bright pans reflect heat, resulting in more delicate browning. Cookies should be baked on shiny, metal pans without sides. If multiple racks are used, one may be placed directly over another. This centers the cookies in front of the fan, which allows for more even browning.
When baking cakes, pies or other foods in pans that do have sides, pans should be staggered so that one pan is not directly above another pan. This promotes more even air flow and more even browning.
For multiple-rack baking, additional baking time may be needed for items on the middle rack. A rule of thumb for the middle rack is 30-60 additional seconds of baking time for thin foods such as cookies and 1 - 2 more minutes of additional baking time for thicker items such as biscuits.
Dark or dull pans absorb heat, resulting in darker browning. These pans should be used only when dark, crisp crusts are desired. Pans should be placed at least one inch apart and the same between the edges of the pan(s) and the oven walls.
The choice of when to use a convection oven and when to use a conventional oven with radiant heat often depends on the cooking container rather than the food. The whole point of convection cooking is to have the fan circulating the heat around the food.
A few rules of thumb for best results:
Cookie sheets - use convection oven
Shallow pans (inch sides or so) - use convection oven
Anything covered (including roasting bags) - use conventional oven
Barbzy, what great info! I love my convection oven. I use it for baking buns, they are perfect, I also love a whole chicken done in it. I also enjoy baking 3 trays of cookies at once! It is definetly trial and error, but once you start, you will like it!
__________________ We all get heavier as we get older,
because there's a lot more information in our heads. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Don't get your knickers in a knot It makes you walk funny!
I love my convection oven, I have a double oven one does convection one doesn't.
The convection oven is good for those foods you want to crisp up quickly, like frozen oven fries or potato wedges.
For cakes etc you do have to cook on a lower heat ... once you get used to it you'll love it.
I've had one for many years, it's now going belly up and we've only this last week been looking at stats on line for what's best, it all gets so confusing!
So we've decided we will wait until it's death then go looking it's all to hard right now! LOL
We all get heavier as we get older,
It makes you walk funny!
