On Mon, 3 Mar 2014 20:55:16 -0600, "Polly Esther"
> wrote:

>
>"Polly Esther" < wrote>I was reading some Alton Brown and he has this to say
>about pre-heating the
>> oven. IF you set the oven for a temp and it dings and tells you it has
>> reached temp, it has. BUT when you open the oven door, much of that nice
>> hot air will escape. IF you're baking something that must have the
>> correct temp, you need to pre-heat for at least 20 minutes. That way, the
>> oven's floor, walls, ceiling, back and assorted other parts will be heated
>> enough to maintain temperature even after you open the oven door and
>> insert the 'grand recipe'.
>> Of course, some of you already know everything but it seemed to me that
>> this might be helpful to those of you who are hoping to duplicate the
>> perfect cornbread, pound cake or meringue like Moma used to make. Polly
>And furthermore, when I bake bread, I set the oven at 425. After I've set
>the bread in the oven, I reduce the setting to 325. Don't know if that sort
>of magic will work elsewhere but it's good here. Polly

325ºF is very low for yeast bread... about 400ºF works much better.