First of all, let’s start with what ‘convection’ even means,
basically it means that heat is circulated with the help of a fan in an oven. Convection
by definition means the transfer of heat by the circulation or movement of the
heated parts of a liquid or gas. Now that we’re all educated on the definition,
let’s figure out why you would need one type of oven over the other.
So we all have used a conventional oven. The heat source is
stationary (usually at the bottom) and it can be heated with either gas or
electricity. The stationary heat may lead to pockets of warmer and cooler air
within the oven. This is why some recipes suggest turning the pan throughout
the baking process. Differing air temperatures within the conventional oven can
also lead to problems when cooking more than one pan at a time. Like if you’ve
got a pan on the top and bottom rack, the top may burn while the bottom is
under-cooked. Experts recommend using a conventional oven for custards, flans,
cakes, and quick breads, and some regular breads (based off crust and browning
preference preference).
In convection
ovens air circulation leads usually leads to more even cooking and a lower
cooking time because of consistent temperatures. As great as this sounds, you
may encounter problems when baking cakes because the cake may bake quicker on
the outside than the inside and blow to one side, which leads to the cake
drying out. When using a convection oven or setting, make sure the pan isn’t
too deep because this interferes with the amount that heat can circulate.
Convection ovens are perfect for roasting, pies and pastries, mass baking
cookies, and toasting and dehydrating. Another reoccurring recommendation when
using a convection oven is not using aluminum foil to cover foods.
Other Considerations
Conversion is important when using a convection over. Most
recipes are written for a conventional oven so it’s important to take into
account the differences in time in temperature. Many times, food is considered
to cook or bake 25% faster in a convection oven as opposed to the conventional
over. We recommend lowering the temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Look in on your culinary masterpiece a little earlier than
normal. Check it out about three quarters of the way through so adjustments can
be made to the remaining time.
Get your weapon of choice ready for the upcoming holiday
season, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
