I am building a new house with a new kitchen (wow that's amazing!) and have
just acquired an electric oven with three elements (fan, top, bottom) and a
rotisserie. The elements can be used singly, fan + top and fan + bottom.

1) It has a fan element behind a partial wall at the back I know what this
is for, having had a fan oven before, it gives an even temperature
throughout, hopefully with no part hotter than another. So far so good.

2) A top radiant element. This gives radiant heat so that you can
rotisserie, grill (cook top-down, I believe this is called broiling in some
parts), brown the top of things etc, OK two out of two.

3) A bottom radiant element. Here I am not too sure. In the cruddy
convection oven I have now (shudder) I am constantly trying to stop the
bottom of things burning 'cause bottom heat's all you get. What style of
baking is actually assisted by bottom heat? I am not an expert pastry cook
but I am guessing that when cooking on a slide in some cases bottom heat
helps to cook the pastry by heating the slide and this keeps it crisp. Is
this the case? Does this concept apply to pizza too? What else is bottom
heat good for?


David

"David Hare-Scott" > wrote in
news
> 3) A bottom radiant element. Here I am not too sure. In the cruddy
> convection oven I have now (shudder) I am constantly trying to stop
> the bottom of things burning 'cause bottom heat's all you get. What
> style of baking is actually assisted by bottom heat? I am not an
> expert pastry cook but I am guessing that when cooking on a slide in
> some cases bottom heat helps to cook the pastry by heating the slide
> and this keeps it crisp. Is this the case? Does this concept apply
> to pizza too? What else is bottom heat good for?
>

I much prefer bottom heat for pies, cakes, and pizza.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 05:10:44 GMT, "David Hare-Scott"
> wrote:

> What style of
> baking is actually assisted by bottom heat? I am not an expert pastry cook
> but I am guessing that when cooking on a slide in some cases bottom heat
> helps to cook the pastry by heating the slide and this keeps it crisp. Is
> this the case? Does this concept apply to pizza too? What else is bottom
> heat good for?
>
Anything "baked" needs bottom heat and you won't need a
scientific answer to figure it out - all you need is a
little experience. Try "baking" cookies, quick bread, cake
etc with your broiler only and you will answer your own
question.


sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 05:10:44 GMT, "David Hare-Scott"
> wrote:

> What style of
> baking is actually assisted by bottom heat? I am not an expert pastry cook
> but I am guessing that when cooking on a slide in some cases bottom heat
> helps to cook the pastry by heating the slide and this keeps it crisp. Is
> this the case? Does this concept apply to pizza too? What else is bottom
> heat good for?
>
Anything "baked" needs bottom heat and you won't need a
scientific answer to figure it out - all you need is a
little experience. Try "baking" cookies, quick bread, cake
etc with your broiler only and you will answer your own
question.


sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 05:10:44 GMT, "David Hare-Scott"
> wrote:

> What style of
> baking is actually assisted by bottom heat? I am not an expert pastry cook
> but I am guessing that when cooking on a slide in some cases bottom heat
> helps to cook the pastry by heating the slide and this keeps it crisp. Is
> this the case? Does this concept apply to pizza too? What else is bottom
> heat good for?
>
Anything "baked" needs bottom heat and you won't need a
scientific answer to figure it out - all you need is a
little experience. Try "baking" cookies, quick bread, cake
etc with your broiler only and you will answer your own
question.


sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments