Hello all, a few weeks ago I had a smoky disaster while baking and put myself in the market for a new range.  I went whole hog and got one with a convection oven (and a second smaller oven that just goes with heat).  So I tried it out.  Cupcakes rose more than with the old oven, although the tops were a bit oddly shaped.  The big item I could NEVER get right with the old oven was mini blue berry muffins.  The ones in the middle of the pans would not really cook while around the edges parts of the muffins would burn.  Convection took care of that.

I, for one, am sold on it now.

Others I discussed the idea with were not so much sold - to the point of doing all their baking with the convection turned off on their convection oven.

Are there any other bakers here?


Erin

I love my convection oven! I used to have to interrupt my bread mid-bake to turn it around so that it would finish evenly. Not any more It's not just baking, roasting is way better as well, more predictable results.

Quote from: EllieM on March 24, 2014, 11:24:16 AM

I love my convection oven! I used to have to interrupt my bread mid-bake to turn it around so that it would finish evenly. Not any more It's not just baking, roasting is way better as well, more predictable results.

I will try bread in this in a couple weeks, I do yeast products so seldom I need to psyche up to make them.  The other stuff I baked I did have to interrupt part way through and turn.  The brownies were all humped up in one end of the pan and after turning they evened out by the time they were done.

The oven has one setting for convection baking and another for convection roasting.  I think the difference is fan speed: low for baking and high for roasting.  I consulted the family expert for tips on convection baking and got a list:

Low fan speed
Set temperature 20 to 25 degrees F LOWER than with traditional
Cooking time should drop about 10% even with the lower temperature
Turn pans at about the halfway point in baking.
Expect a lot of trial and error...

The first run at this sold me, so I really want to see how bread does!


Erin

Good luck with the bread, Erin! By the way, mine was a six-strand braided loaf on a cookie sheet. The loaf pan bread will probably be a bit different.

Hiya

Convection ovens are like any other kitchen tool - sometimes it's the right technique and sometimes not.  Yeah, convection distributes the heat nicely, so a lot of baking works better.  And it's great for finishing a chicken to a nice uniform toasty colour, or pan-roasting veggies. 

But I'm not so sure it would be useful for delicate items such as meringue, crème brulée or other items where gentle heat is called for.   

Hugs
J

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on March 24, 2014, 06:27:52 PM
Hiya

Convection ovens are like any other kitchen tool - sometimes it's the right technique and sometimes not.  Yeah, convection distributes the heat nicely, so a lot of baking works better.  And it's great for finishing a chicken to a nice uniform toasty colour, or pan-roasting veggies. 

But I'm not so sure it would be useful for delicate items such as meringue, crème brulée or other items where gentle heat is called for.   

Hugs
J

This is a kitchen tool.  For me it is also a new toy; so I will see what all it can do.  Cake comes out lighter, and I can use the 24 hole mini muffin pan and get them all to cook uniformly.  Things like cookies I will use the traditional method.  Bread I am still thinking about.  For really delicate stuff you are right - use the gentle heat.

I wanted one of these for a while, and I finally got one.  And I got compliments on my muffins, so it is off to a good start.


Erin

Quote from: ErinWDK on March 25, 2014, 08:33:04 AM
This is a kitchen tool.  For me it is also a new toy; so I will see what all it can do.

Erin, I absolutely LOVE kitchen toys, of all sizes, so go have fun!!!  BTW, puff pastry and croissants work wonderfully with convection as the layers separate really quickly and, mmmmm, decadence on a plate!

I recently found a shop in Madrid that had all kinds of crazy kitchen toys, like bell jars to fill with smoke and give some food a very gentle smoked aroma.  And syphons, and low-temperature cooking systems, and pacojets and....!

Ahem, aren't we supposed to be saving up for FFS and SRS?   

Time for a another slice of pain d'epices

Hugs
J

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on March 25, 2014, 09:21:12 AM
Ahem, aren't we supposed to be saving up for FFS and SRS?   

Well...  I am 60 and don't see those as something I can really aspire to.  So I spend money.  I did see an advertisement for a covered stone ware bread baking pan for $59.95US.  I am not going to spend money THAT freely.


Erin

Quote from: ErinWDK on March 25, 2014, 04:08:21 PM
Well...  I am 60 and don't see those as something I can really aspire to.  So I spend money.  I did see an advertisement for a covered stone ware bread baking pan for $59.95US.  I am not going to spend money THAT freely.

Hmmm, I'm sure there are some transwomen here who are your age and have had SRS in their 60s?   I guess I don't really know what the implications are....?

I must confess that I don't know stoneware, so I'm not sure whether it's good or not.  My experience is that there are seldom that many innovations that revolutionise an ancient art such as bread-baking.  Tee hee, it reminds me of when I bought my first rolling pin - found one made of green marble, expensive, with wooden handles.  It was pretty.  And it was utterly impractical - dry doughs slipped right off it, and wetter onces stuck to it!  And it weighed a ton.  Nowdays it's a plain wooden cylinder.  Heavenly practical   

I have both a convection oven and a regular oven, I absolutely love the convection oven but it doesn't work for somethings.

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on March 25, 2014, 05:42:57 PM
Tee hee, it reminds me of when I bought my first rolling pin - found one made of green marble, expensive, with wooden handles.  It was pretty.  And it was utterly impractical - dry doughs slipped right off it, and wetter onces stuck to it!  And it weighed a ton.  Nowdays it's a plain wooden cylinder.  Heavenly practical   

I always thought a marble rolling pin was for making your own puff pastry.  The butter in that is supposed to be kept cold and the marble rolling pin is chilled to allow working the dough a bit more in each stage before needing to cool it again.  They are pretty.  I have not tried making my own puff pastry; may be sometime.


Erin

I did a second pass at convection baking, and found more tricks to fine tune my process.  This is a really nice new toy.

I am getting compliments on my muffins from a really tough audience - so this is a worthwhile tool.  But, convection is not for everything.  My cookies are still done the traditional way.

Good eating!


Erin

Hi Erin

Glad that you're having fun with flour, as they say, he he he!

Try making croissants - it's really not that difficult - just a bit time-consuming!  I'll happily mail you my marble rolling pin (in a plain manilla envelope) for you to try.  Hmmm, you might discover a new condition such as rolling-pin elbow :-)

I need to get some kitchen time...

xxx
J