Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> Oh pshaw, on Fri 13 Oct 2006 11:12:06p, Bob (this one) meant to say...
>
>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>> Oh pshaw, on Fri 13 Oct 2006 02:25:20p, Frank103 meant to say...
>>>
>>>> Can a convection oven bake cakes, breads, cookies etc. as well as a
>>>> regular oven? I've tried baking a few things in a toaster oven and was
>>>> pleased with the results other than being limited in size. I was
>>>> wondering about convection ovens and if someone can recommend a brand.
>>>> Thanks in advance. Frank
>>> Personally, I found convection cooking more useful for roasting meats.
>>> Cakes and pies were guenerally underdooked on the inside by the time
>>> the exterior was brown. Cookies, OTOH, were superior in a convection
>>> oven.
>>>
>>> Best choice? A convection oven in which the feature can be turned off.
>> My experience differs. I reduce temperatures in my
>> convection oven 50 degrees from what recipes call for. I
>> bake all sorts of things in mine, including roasts, pies,
>> cakes, breads, cookies, potatoes, casseroles, etc...
>>
>> But not souffles. Even the little vibration from a
>> convection oven keeps them from rising like a conventional
>> oven permits.
>>
>> Pastorio
>>
>
> Then perhaps I'm doing something wrong. I've had a countertop Farberware
> convection oven, a GE range with convection oven, and an Amana range with
> convection oven. In the latter two, the convection function could be
> turned off. Each had a somewhat different configuration, but all had
> dedicated concealed heating elements for the convection fans. The
> Farberware's fan was located in the top of the oven, the GE and Amana both
> had fans in the rear oven wall. In all cases, when using convection, pie
> crusts overbrowned or burned before the filling was done and the tops of
> cakes (tradtional butter layer cakes) were very overbrowned before the cake
> had sufficiently baked inside. I tried different rack levels and
> temperature reduction by both 25 and 50 degrees. Not sure what else I
> could have done.

I've had commercial convection ovens in my restaurants and
now I just have a Farber conv. oven at home since I'm not
cooking vast quantities any longer. It's about as simple a
unit as there is. Heat element, fan, cabinet.

Some other variables:

1) I bake in dark pans. When I've tried glass or
light-colored ceramic ones, the results weren't as good.
2) I bake with the rack set to the lowest level and I leave
the Farber sheet pan that came with the oven in the bottom
all the time.
3) For crusty breads, I put hot water in the pan in the
bottom and leave it there throughout the bake.
4) I don't make two-crust pies; just tarts. Not that fond of
crust. I trim it level with the top of the pan.
5) Cakes don't work as well in the convection and in the
conventional, probably because of vibration. Having said
that, it goes faster and if I'm making a dense cake, the
convection works fine. For a genoise or angel food cake,
it's the conventional oven.
6) Did a variation on tarte aux poires (recipe below) today
that was wonderful. Crust top browned, fruit browned a bit,
custard puffed and browned, all within acceptable limits.
Baked at 375F rather than the 425F for conventional ovens. I
used 3 green Bartlett pears, 3 red Bartlett and 3 Ginger
Gold apples in a larger, rectangular tart pan than the
recipe calls for. Doubled dough and custard. Luscious.
7) Are your criteria for browning maybe a bit light compared
to what others might consider appropriate? Just asking.
8) In spite of the propaganda, I turn the food in the
convection oven. I find it cooks unevenly otherwise.
9) As you say, for meats, it's grand. I cook roasts at very
low temps (depending on what kind of meat, as low as 205F,
up to 250F), so I sacrifice the crust that high-temp
roasting gives but get much more moist-finished meats as a
result. Trade off. I cook beef and lamb to 120F, pork roasts
to 145F, game to 150F, birds to 160F, pork to shred to 190F
(shoulders only and cook at 205F from room temp meat).
Breads to 208F. Cakes to different temps, depending on the
type, most often 205F.

> Having said that, the convection mode made absolutely the best roasted
> meats and perfectly baked multiple sheets of cookies. Yeast breads were of
> moderate success.

Amazing our different experiences. Based on what you've said
above, I can't really see what the differences might be
attributable to. I'm at 1500 feet above sea level, FWIW. My
kitchen temperature is fixed between 68 and 75 no matter
what's happening. I keep our humidity between 45 and 55%.
Virtually all my equipment is heavy-duty professional
quality, left over from the restaurants. I use
remote-reading, tip-probe thermometers for everything cooked
in an oven.

Pastorio

Tarte Aux Poires Alsacienne Alsatian Pear Tart
1 recipe rich egg pastry
6 pears, peeled, cored, halved and thinly sliced across
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup heavy cream
Heat conventional oven to 425F. Butter and flour a 10-in
deep tart pan and line the tart pan with pastry. Arrange
pear slices evenly over the pastry overlapping the slices
slightly. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the egg
yolks, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and cream. Pour over the
pears and bake for another 35 minutes, or until the pears
are tender. Serve warm. Serves 6 to 8

Rich Egg Pastry
2 cups flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
cold water
Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and make a well in the
center. Into the well put the eggs and butter, working the
ingredients with fingertips, adding cold water by the
tablespoon for a smooth, supple pastry. Let pastry stand for
30 minutes, covered and chilled. Roll out on lightly floured
surface to just under 1/4 inch thickness. Line a buttered
and floured pan, then chill for 30 minutes. Dock the bottom
before filling. Good for 2 crust pies or French-style flans.
Good with apples, plums, apricots.