23
Basic Oven Operation
The Oven's Three Bake Modes
•
Bake
•
Surround Bake
•
Convection Bake
Bake
Uses only the bake element. This mode is the
stand-by, non-convection mode. All baked
items will turn out nicely in this mode.
Tips for Using Bake Mode
• For best results, use a single rack. See page 44 for
suggested rack positions for various foods. For cook-
ing on multiple racks, Dacor recommends using one of
the convection modes.
• Follow your recipe’s original cooking time and tem-
perature.
• Do not open the oven door frequently during baking.
Look through the oven door window to check the
progress of baking whenever possible.
• Use the timers to determine baking time.
• Wait until the shortest recommended baking time
before checking the food. For most baked goods, a
wooden toothpick placed in the center should come
clean when the food is done.
Surround Bake
Surround Bake uses both the bake element and
a broil element. This mode is best for angel-
food cake, fruit cobblers, quick breads, soufflés
and cheesecakes baked in a water bath. Egg-leavened
items turn out best in this mode because they still get a
nice rise without over-browning or curdling. Thick bat
-
tered breads, such as banana bread, bake well in this
mode because they cook through while providing the cor-
rect amount of browning.
Convection Bake
Convection Bake uses both the bake element
and the convection element and fan. Use this
mode for single rack convection baking. The
combination of the convection fan and bottom heat source
is best for fruit crisps, custard pies, double-crusted fruit
pies, quiches, yeast breads in a loaf pan and popovers.
Also, items baked in a deep ceramic dish or earthen-
ware clay pots are best in this mode. Most of these items
cook in a deep pan and require browning on the top and
bottom.
IMPORTANT
Modes that utilize convection tend to have a cooking time that is
about 25% shorter.
Adjust and test cooking times for your recipes, especially
those that are homemade, when converting from standard
to convection baking. See the Pure Convection section on
page 22 for additional guidelines.
Common Problems When Using the Bake Mode
Problem
May be caused by
What to do
Cookies burn on the
bottom.
Oven door opened too often.
Set timer to shortest recommended cooking
time and check food when timer beeps. Use
door window to check food.
Incorrect rack position used.
Change rack position.
Dark, heat absorbing cookie sheets used.
Use shiny, reflective cookie sheets.
Cookies are too brown
on top.
Rack position being used is too high.
Change rack position.
Food placed in oven during preheat.
Wait until oven is preheated.
Incorrect baking mode being used.
See
Starting The Oven - Main Menu
on page
19 for guidelines.
Cakes burn on the sides
or are not done in the
center.
Oven temperature too high.
Reduce oven temperature.
Dark, heat absorbing cake pans used.
Use shiny, reflective cake pans.
Cakes crack on top.
Oven temperature too high.
Reduce oven temperature.
Cakes are not level.
Oven and/or oven rack not level.
Level oven and rack as needed.
Pies burn around the
edges or are not done
in the center.
Oven temperature too high.
Reduce oven temperature.
Dark, heat absorbing pans used.
Use shiny, reflective pans.
Oven and/or rack over-crowded.
Reduce number of pans.
