Baking Interruptus
Yesterday I set out to practice my pie baking and after 45 minutes in the oven the pie still wasn't finished. The temperature had dropped to 200 and the oven was not cycling on. My pie!!!! - which was turning out the be one the more attractive ones I've made because the wife found some pie baking tutorials on Pinterest. However good you believe you are at something you can always do something to improve...
Fortunately I was able to switch over to the mini oven we have and it ended up doing a beautiful job on the pie, I think. Perhaps I should use the mini for pie baking from now on; no need to fire up the big oven. More efficient to use the mini?
The big oven going kaput is going to affect my bread-baking this weekend, though. I'll have to poke around in the oven to see if a certain part needs replacing (the igniter?), so time...and UPS shipping are against me right now. I don't see the mini as being able to replicate the steam conditions I want for the bread.
Lessons to be learned? Definitely that any "problems" I have are pretty miniscule, trivial ones. Secondly, this could turn out to be a good thing. I'm going to proceed with my usual baking plans this weekend and retard the dough in the frig until Wednesday. If I have the oven figured out by then I'll bake Wednesday morning instead of Sunday. I'm wondering if the bread will turn out better with a long, slow rest.
Thanks for listening as I avail myself of such oppressive obstacles in my life!
(but I'm partial) They trap in more steam from the loaf than you may realise. A small flat can on the bottom filled with hot water works very well. Don't forget to cover the glass door with a towel to protect from drips. :)
Happy baking! Pie looks very tasty!
Mini Oven
good point! i didn't think about that. hmm...maybe i'll have to give it a try.
have a great day.
From the picture it looks like the same Breville oven I have and I bake bread it in a lot. I find it does a great job, as long as you don't use convection and spray a few times it in the beginning. it seems to keep surprising even and accurate heat levels. I have accidently left the convection on seversl times and found it negatively affected the oven spring. My experience using steam is minimal, if I bake in my big oven I use my Dutch Oven. I actually prefer using my Breville for nearly all my baking. Just take care your bread doesn't rise top high obviously, I have had it come close and it left scorch marks on the crust but it didn't deter us from enjoying it. It preheats really quick and doesn't heat my kitchen up.