Convection oven help?

[Blue_playwright]

I have a convention oven that’s relatively new. I’m really struggling with it. I follow recommendations about reducing cook time and learned that I can’t cover stuff if I want it to cook properly. But, now holiday baking is here and I’m so confused. My bread pudding, started it at half the time and kept an eye on it - hard as a rock on the outside and wet in the center with the backside darker than the front. I set a timer now to rotate cornbread, etc., so both sides of the top cook evenly, but still almost always have a soggy center.

Now a favorite-cranberry orange loaf - first attempt in bread pan, terrible. Brown on the outside and literally watery and wobbly inside. I went to take it out and it wiggles like jello.

Chicken breasts, steak fries, frozen pizzas, all cook up just fine. It’s just baked goods. 🤷🏻?♀️

Advice, before I go get another damn oven?

[dlk]

1. I have a convection oven

What has worked for me is reducing the recipe temperature by 25 degrees and the cooking time around 25% to 30%. With some baked goods, I’ve found they need to bake slightly longer, with reducing the baking time around 10% or not at all.

I recently baked some pumpkin bread that took a little longer to bake. It depends on the depth of the pan. Convection baking has better results with shallower pans. I’ve found the deeper pans, such as loaf pans, are a little trickier.

Hope this helps.

[csziggy]

7. This - cut the temperature and the time

With moving air, the temperature does not need to be as hot and baked foods cook faster.

Of course, some things, such as cheesecake, should not be baked in a convection oven, If you can, use the standard bake setting - your oven should have one.

[sir pball]

8. Third that, definitely lower the temperature as well

I find a 50-degree cut even better; I almost invariably set it to 300 when the fan is on and have never had a problem.

[csziggy]

9. Also, people forget (or never knew) to cut the temp when baking in glass

In Home Ec, we were taught to cut the temperature by 25 F when baking in glass pans. I have glass bread pans and sometimes forget to cut the temp for them while baking bread. Most of the time I bake my regular bread in metal pans, but sometimes cook banana bread in glass.

I have to jog my memory to remember to turn down the oven to 300 F - minus 25 for the pan + minus 25 for the convection oven. If I turn it down that much, I usually don't have to cut the baking time, but I do keep an eye on it.

[sir pball]

10. And dark metal pans too, don't forget!

Most recipes are developed for light-colored metal pans; dark metal is more effective at absorbing and distributing heat so you need to cut the temp for them as well.

I've been in the culinary arts for 20+ years and baking is still a Dark Art to me..

[csziggy]

11. Oh - yes! Which is why I don't buy dark metal pans

Mine are light color metal, probably aluminum. In fact my aluminum cookie sheets are ancient (maybe fifty years old) "disposable" pans. They work great for baking cookies, especially if I line them with parchment paper. They are beat up but I can flatten them out and they work fine. I've looked at new ones, but these really don't need to be replaced and will probably last the rest of my life.

The bread pans are extra long ones I bought about ten years ago to make my own whole grain sandwich bread. They are the perfect size for my recipe to make two loaves, so usually I freeze one while we use the other right away. I did pay a good price at a kitchen supply store for them. I used to make my bread into three loaves, but lost too much to the end crusts, so these fit our needs better.

Mom had a dark metal pizza pan which gave great, crispy crusts for the pizza kits she used to buy. The rest of her baking pans were light color metal but none survived until her death.

[True Blue American]

2. I bake cakes all the time.

Shorten the time. I do know that heavy breads like banana need to cook longer than cakes to be done in the middle.

Sounds as if you need to turn the heat down on the jiggly stuff.

[OxQQme]

3. My efforts to get even cooking....

the bake/fan option blows hot air directly across what's cooking and always seemed to cook just the top first
leaving the center 'undone'.
My DeLonghii stove blows from the right side across the food so I formed a 'deflector' of aluminum foil that directs the hot air up towards the top of the oven. Formed the foil so it's held in place by the wire rack/pan against the wall when I slide the food into the oven.
Much better results that way.

[RainCaster]

4. Our Magic Chef does both modes

We use convection for meats & veggies, but we still use conventional mode for most baking, including cakes, banana bread & corn bread.

Convection does a fantastic job on turkeys stuffed or not.

[Kali]

5. number one is a good thermometer to check your oven and adjust if needed.

your symptoms almost sound like it is set too high, also maybe the fan for the convection isn't working?

[mitch96]

6. I second the motion for checking with a thermometer...

I took the flavor level up a notch when I started tracking time and temperature...
Love my thermopen... very accurate..
m

[Blue_playwright]

12. Thanks for all of these.

I cut my bread pudding back to 300 and it came out perfect! I just had to keep an eye on it - more than my gas oven.

Thanks!!