new oven - different timings and crust
Hi,
Last week I had a new oven installed. Electric just as the "old" was, but now it is a double oven. I used the same oven thermometer to ensure that the ovens both temp'ed correctly, and tested the new oven at 350F and 500F. And it hit the mark perfectly, just as did the former oven.
Same baking deck, same steaming technique employed. I've now finished three bakes in the new oven and the same results have persisted throughout the three. As some of you may know, I concentrate solely on baguettes. Where I steamed the former oven for 12 minutes, I now steam for 15 minutes. Post steam time was a reliable ~10-11 minutes in the former, now it is hovering at ~13-15 minutes. And for all three bakes the crust does not darken as much as before. The crust is just as crisp and "crunchy" as before, just the longer bake times and coloration seem to have changed.
Some examples:
1. Bouabsa before
2. Bouabsa now
3. SJSD before
4. SJSD now (txfarmer's 36 hr. version)
Would any of you like to take a guess at why the shift. I do understand that different ovens can perform a bit differently, but this is an oddity for me. Any and all input is welcomed...
alan
that the element on-off ratio is different (thermostat related). The one with more burning had a longer time interval between on cycles and off cycles, and thus had more radiant heat variance.
Alan,
Individual ovens do not perform " a bit differently" they perform a lot differently. Forget most of what you knew of the old oven and make friends with the new. All will be well in short order.
Jeff
Jeff & Ken,
I'm going to move the oven racks up a notch or two for this evening's bake. Right now the steaming devices and baking deck are crowded in the lowest two positions just inches above the lower heating element. I'll move both of these a few positions higher to see if this can effect any change. This way, at least, the baking deck will be in the center of the oven rather than in the lower third. Something I should have already thought about.
I'm certainly not disappointed in the taste or quality of the bread, but it sure would be nice to resume getting that incredibly caramelized look as before. We shall see.
thanks, alan
I do like the look of your bread baked in the new Oven a lot.
I recently moved in to a new house and my new Oven was so different, not just the size , I have now a * Range * Oven, but also all the options.
The old Oven just had Fan, the new oven has Fan, and conventional heat and and and... I just use the option with Top and bottom heat and my loafs turn out so much better.
Have fun with your new Oven, forget the old and concentrate on the new one:)
I agree with Petra and Jeff.
Forget the old and make friends with the new.
I have 2 ovens that I bake with depending upon the time of year. When I switch from one to the other it takes me awhile to adjust. This year I am making note of the changes that I do make to compensate for the differences and I am going to file them on my calendar!!!
I imagine that withIn a few months time you will have forgotten about how you did things in your old oven. Baking always presents with new puzzles to play with and enjoy.
Have Fun,
Janet
When we last left this Western, Big Jake* was crying the blues about his new oven concerning the lighter coloration of his first three bakes. So...I adjusted the steaming shelf one up from the bottom - initially just mere millimeters above the heating element, and also moved the baking deck two above that. Backed down the steaming to 12 minutes again, baked for ~13 after steam was released.
I believe that the color is a bit richer and darker than the first three bakes, although the color in this photo is a little off. This is a straight SJSD formula. I'm content...
(*apologies to Michael Curtiz and The Comancheros)