16
BAKING
(continued)
Pies
Cakes
For best results, bake pies in dark, rough or dull pans
to produce a browner, crisper crust. Frozen pies in foil
pans should be placed on an aluminum cookie sheet
for baking since the shiny foil pan reflects heat away
from the pie crust; the cookie sheet helps retain it.
When baking cakes, warped or bent pans will cause
uneven baking results and poorly shaped products.
A cake baked in a pan larger than the recipe
recommends will usually be crisper, thinner and drier
than it should be. If baked in a pan smaller than
recommended, it may be undercooked and batter may
overflow. Check the recipe to make sure the pan size
used is the one recommended.
Aluminum Foil
Never entirely cover a shelf with aluminum foil. This
will disturb the heat circulation and result in poor
baking. A smaller sheet of foil may be used to catch a
spillover by placing it on a lower shelf several inches
below the food.
Don’t Peek
Set the timer for the estimated cooking time and do
not open the door to look at your food. Most recipes
provide minimum and maximum baking times such
as “bake 30-40 minutes.”
DO NOT open the door to check until the
minimum time. Opening the oven door frequently
during cooking allows heat to escape and makes
baking times longer. Your baking results may also
be affected.
