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CONVECTION OVEN BAKING GUIDE
CONVECTION OVENS IN GENERAL
• Convection ovens constantly circulate air over the product. This strips away the thin layer of moisture laden air
from the top of the product allowing heat to penetrate more quickly. This allows cooking times to be shortened
and cooking temperatures reduced in convection ovens. Introducing Steam into the cooking process prevents
the bake from loosing moisture and allows for a better product.
• Applying steam to dough during first 5 minutes, allows the yeast to work a little longer, allowing for better oven
spring and loaf volume keeping the outer layer flexible and moist. Once the outside layer of the dough sets,
gases in the loaf can no longer expand to increase the loaf size.
• Steaming the dough as it bakes also gelatinizes starch on the outside layer, producing a bread with a crisp crust
and a brown crust color in varying degrees; too much steam results in an undesirable crust. Steam also helps
to prevent wild breaks in the loaves because it delays the setting of the bread’s crust, allowing it more time to
bake and brown. However, in contrast, during the last stages of baking, a dry oven is required when the crust is
browning; after the steam is removed, the gelatinized layer dries out forming a thick crunchy crust.
• The convection oven is an electro-mechanical piece of equipment and is designed to produce a consistent
result. Variations in results are therefore more likely due to differences in the preparation process.
DEFINITIONS
EnviroZone & EnviroStar
Cooking Time & Temperature:
To convert standard deck oven recipes to convection oven recipes, start by
reducing the cooking temperature by 50 °F and the time by 5%.
Fan Speed Functions:
The convection fan is programmable as either HI or LO speed. Most baking is done
with the fan speed set to high. Delicate products (i.e. Meringue pie) may require use of the low fan speed
setting.
EnviroZone
Cooking Curve:
Cooking curve is a programmable function that adjusts the cooking time to
compensate for planned times when the oven temperature would be lower than the programmed temperature.
(i.e. temperature loses during loading and unloading). Cooking Curve 40%, is the most commonly used.
Cooking Curve settings from 0% (no time adjustment) to 00% (max time adjustment) are available. As a
general rule the longer the cooking time the lower the cooking curve, the shorter the cooking time the higher
the cooking curve.
Pulse Fan Function:
A Fan Pulse Rate setting allows the fan to be programmed to cycle on and off at regular
intervals during the period in the cooking cycle when there is no heat applied. (The computer will not allow
the fan to be OFF whenever the heat is ON).
Steam Programming:
(Optional) One Second shots of steam can be introduced at programmable intervals.
Steam is typically only used when wanting to maintain moisture or achieve a specific result.
Tier Cooking:
“Tiered” programming is the ability to change the cooking temperature or fan
function while cooking.
(i.e. some products may require high heat and the fan to be LO for the
first half of the cooking cycle. Tier 1 would be programmed with the Heat up and the fan LO and Tier
2 would then be programmed with the heat lowered and the fan HI for the remainder of the cycle.)
Multiple shelf baking function is disabled when using Tier Baking programs.
Vent Programming:
The vent can be programmed to be either open or closed. Most baking should be done
with the vent closed. Open the vent only with high moisture products to avoid seepage of condensed
moisture around the front of the door.
BAKING HINTS
• Always maintain a consistent cooking process. Establish a process that works for you, write it down and stick
to it. Consistency in your cooking processes is very important to the quality of your bake.
• Always weigh your product. This will give you a more consistent size, color and quality.
• Do not overload pans or space product unevenly in the pan as this will create a uneven bake.
• Bent or warped pans can greatly affect the evenness of the bake.
• Always use the oven lights to view the product through the oven door windows. Do not open the oven doors
during baking as this will change the baking characteristics and produce erratic results.
• If using baker’s parchment, be sure the parchment does not blow over the product or obstruct air flow in any
way. This will create a uneven bake. Never use aluminum foil in your convection oven.
• Use proper sheet pans for baking. i.e. Aluminum pans have better heat transference than steel pans and
therefore yield much better bake results.
