| Nowadays, it is easier for home cooks to buy | | | | Some foods aren't meant to be made using |
| professional equipment for their kitchens. For | | | | convection style, due to the air movement inside |
| example, the convection oven is a tool used by | | | | the oven. Making souffles, meringues or anything |
| professional bakers worldwide. Convection ovens | | | | delicate is discouraged. Also, if you work with |
| that restaurants use are highly priced (a few | | | | parchment, anchor it down in the oven to keep it |
| thousand dollars for a good one) and need special | | | | from blowing all over the place. But, in general, |
| wiring. But now, there are a line of table-top, | | | | nearly everything can be made in the oven, from |
| home ovens that provide convection-style | | | | cookies and cakes to breads of many kinds. The |
| cooking, for only a few hundred dollars each. | | | | breadmaker in my unit is fantastic. Just load the |
| When looking for convection ovens, decide what | | | | included container with the ingredients, and the |
| features do you want. And, compare different | | | | oven does the rest: mixing, poofing and baking. |
| brands. There are many brands, such as | | | | When it is finished, it just sounds a chime. Pies |
| German-made Wiesheu, US-made Kenmore or | | | | bake perfectly, my oven has a round baking rack |
| Viking. Do you want a professional oven or one | | | | for pizzas and pies, that rotates as it cooks. The |
| for the home? Freestanding model or table-top? | | | | oven also makes great roasts and includes both a |
| The bigger and fancier it is, the larger the price | | | | vertical and horizontal spit to cook with. With |
| tag. Mine is a counter-top model that also includes | | | | convection, the possibilities are nearly endless. |
| a built-in breadmaker and jam-maker. There are | | | | When converting your recipes to convection |
| many options to choose from, so check around. | | | | cooking, the experts say to subtract 25 degrees |
| The most desired kind of convection oven is the | | | | from the recipe's given setting. Convection ovens |
| European, or "third element" type (it has three | | | | cook faster, so also decrease the cooking time |
| heat sources). Mine is not a "third element" style, | | | | by about 25% as well. Multiple racks of cookies |
| most countertop models aren't, but it does just | | | | can be baked at the same time with superior |
| fine, so don't rule out the two-element models, | | | | results to the less evenly cooked multiple batches |
| they are great, too. Whatever suits your needs | | | | in a regular oven. That is why most bakeries and |
| the best, and fits within your budget. | | | | restaurants use convection ovens, because they |
| Convection ovens cause breads to have superior | | | | can bake in quantity without sacrificing quality of |
| crust and texture, but retain their moisture in the | | | | the finished product. |
| middle, just like a bakery. Pastries come out | | | | Don't be afraid to switch to convection cooking. |
| incredibly flaky, such as croissants or puff pastry. | | | | Once you make the change, you will be glad that |
| It is amazing how beautifully golden and evenly | | | | you did. I know I am. After seeing others use |
| cooked my breads are now. Before, in a gas | | | | them and tasting their artisan breads, I decided to |
| oven, they came out nice, but now they rise | | | | get my own. If you are a serious bread baker or |
| better. Breads baked in the convection oven even | | | | cook, this oven will be of great use to you. That |
| have a quality taste, since the strong heat | | | | is why cooking schools use and prefer them to |
| carmelizes the exterior, they have a slightly nutty | | | | conventional ovens. Give it a try, you won't be |
| and sweet flavor. It's because the oven strongly | | | | disappointed. If anything, you'll be finding excuses |
| circulates the air around the inside, distributing the | | | | to do more baking. Your family will most definitely |
| heat more efficiently to the food. | | | | approve. |