The Fresh Loaf

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Rofco oven scorching tops

bikeprof's picture
bikeprof

Rofco oven scorching tops

Greetings,

I've been baking in my Rofco B10 for a while now and have made lots of great bread in it.  But the top deck scorches the tops of the loaves...not only leaving them a bit blackened, but darker than those on the bottom deck.

What's more, the loaves on the top deck generally achieve less volume than those on the bottom, and I'm thinking that the intense heat from above is leading to a premature crust formation and restricting the expansion of the loaves (so swapping the loaves between top and bottom decks would even out the color issue, but not so much the expansion issue).

So...anyone even try to create some sort of shield that takes out just a bit of the intensity of the heat radiated from electric elements.  I don't think a foil tent is the answer...but rather something that stays in the oven...thoughts?

drogon's picture
drogon

... is somewhat challenging.... Although I have the B40. (it's not without issues in that department either)

I suspect in your case - the B10 - 2 shelves and (I guess?) 3 elements it simply can't control the heat that well. Where is the thermostat? If it's in the bottom deck that might explain things a little - then the only suggestion might be to turn it down 10 degrees after you load it ......

Other than that - get a thin ceramic plate made up - pizza stone material - any local potters? and support it on pillars... or maybe even a steel sheet a few mm thick...

I run my top thermostat at 220°C and the bottom one at 210°C.... I reduce the bottom one for the 2nd bake as it tends to start getting too hot after a while...

-Gordon

bikeprof's picture
bikeprof

Thanks...you are correct about the arrangement of elements and the temp probe is on the wall of the upper deck.

I have been tinkering and thinking along similar lines to your suggestion - put some sort of (at least partial) heat shield...either that or some piece of highly conductive material (copper,aluminum) running from the elements down the walls to better disperse the heat produced by the upper element.  No great success yet on that front.

Others?