Modern ovens have many useful functions, but it is the hot air that deserves special attention. This is a function that changes ordinary oven into a more professional tool that copes even with the most demanding recipes.
How does it actually work?
The heart of the hot air system is a fan placed on the back of the oven. He works with a round heater, creating a system that distributes warm air throughout the chamber. As a result, the temperature is the same in every corner of the oven – There are no cold or overheated zones. Thanks to this, the dishes bake evenly.
Lower temperature, faster effects and energy saving
By using the hot air, we can reduce the baking temperature by about 20 degrees compared to the one given in the recipe. Still, dishes bake faster! This is due to even distribution heat. However, it is worth remembering to shorten the baking time by 10-15%-e.g. if the standard recipe predicts 40 minutes, it should be about 34-36 minutes with hot air.
An additional advantage is energy saving – shorter baking time and lower temperature They make power consumption smaller, which translates into lower bills. What's more, some recipes intended for baking with hot air allow you to put dishes into an unbearable oven, which further accelerates the process and increases saving.
The biggest advantage of hot air is the possibility of baking at several levels at the same time. We can prepare the entire menu without fear that one dish will be not treated and the other burned. You just have to remember to keep the right spacing between the metal so that the air can circulate freely.
Which dishes like hot air the most, which are not?
The hot air works great when baking:
- Meat – especially poultry, when we care about a crunchy skin
- Casserole – thanks to the even distribution of the temperature, the cheese will dissolve perfectly
- French and fragile cakes – they gain exceptional crunchiness
- Pizza – the bottom will be baked evenly
- Vegetable – they maintain juiciness and at the same time they will brown nicely
Not every dish likes an intense air circulation. Hot air can hurt:
- Delicate sponge cakes – They may not grow evenly.
- Soufflés – They need calm, stable warmth.
- Cheesecakes – We risk breaking the surface.
- Very moist dishes – They can dry too quickly.
To fully use hot air capabilities:
- Always heat the oven before putting on the dish (unless the recipe speaks differently)
- Set the dishes so that they do not block air flow
- Use dishes with low edges – they facilitate air circulation
- If you want to shorten the baking time as much as possible, check that the recipe allows for the cold start of the oven