My friend, Ruth, and I used to be so confused about how to cook in a convection oven. After all, we both grew up in areas where wood-burning stoves were common, so having an oven that blows hot air around was quite a breakthrough in cooking for us.

We now understand the technology of convection ovens: A little built-in fan circulates hot air around inside the oven, which cooks foods quicker and more evenly than a non-convection (or regular) oven.

We understand that traditional cooking times can be reduced up to 25%, and that food can be cooked at lower temperatures, sometimes 25-50 degrees less!  (Sure beats piling wood on the fire.)

We also understand that a convection oven can cook more food at once, which is pretty handy for the holidays.  And, convection ovens are great for browning and roasting meats, so your Thanksgiving turkey can be juicy instead of dry and shriveled.

Ruth says convection ovens are great for cookies, bread, and even pizza. But, I don’t like to make cakes in a convection oven; my results tend to have the outside cooked but the center is still gooey. I also don’t bake cheesecakes or cream puff shells with a convection oven. Likewise for custards and meringues; somehow the delicate stuff just doesn’t turn out well.

Sometimes I forget to use my convection oven option, and spend more time cooking the traditional oven way than I need to.  (But then again, as Ruth says, what’s my hurry?)

Well, because of convection ovens, I am considering deleting my favorite classic recipe in my family cookbook for making a perfect roast. It comes from comic Gracie Allen: “Put a little roast and a big roast in the oven. When the little one is burned, the big one is just right.”

Happy cookbooking,

Matilda

Making a recipe book? Check out all the recipe software and cookbook binding supplies we have at CookbookPeople.com.

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