LEARN HOW TO USE OVEN CORRECTLY

Ovens come in many shapes and sizes. Here we will focus only on convection ovens. Earlier, they used to come tin a round, lightweight variety, with a glass window. Simple equipment, but very effective. Some companies still make this model and even the best recipes can be made in it.
Modern Kitchens use sleek, square OTGs (Oven-Toaster-Griller) operated on electricity. You can bake a cake, toast sandwiches, or grill kebabs with the press of a button. There are instructions manuals and recipe booklets that come along with the oven. Do make it a point to read them thoroughly. There are gas ranges that have flame burners on the top and large oven at the bottom. These too are effective as electric ovens, ensure to read the manual and learn about the gas marks.
Baking : When baking cakes, cookies, breads or pies, ensure that the oven is preheated to the correct temperature as the recipe demands. It is the simplest rule for getting perfect results. When baking, use the setting that gives both top and bottom heat.
Toasting : To make pizzas, open sandwiches or simple toast, use the setting for top heat. Place pizzas on the tray and toast on the wire rack.
Grilling : To make kebabs in the grill, use the skewers provided and the basting tray to catch all the drips. Use the setting that gives top heat and remember to baste the kebabs regularly and rotate them.
Reheating : Ovens are great for reheating samosas, patties or stale bread. Use the setting as for baking.
Safety Tips :• Use the oven only for its intended use.• Never heat water in the oven. Never try to cook a whole egg.• Never use an oven to heat a room• Never leave a working oven unattended especially if there are children around.• Never use an oven to store things. If it is switched on accidentally, there could be a major disaster.• Keep the are surrounding the oven clean. Keep it free of bags, towels, drapes, crockery and other equipments.• Use of oven mitts is highly recommended to handle the hot baking dishes.

By Sanjeev Kapoor. Sourced from the asian Age 4th aug, 2007

Pastry chef's tips will make yoor baking better

The French Pastry School in the Chicago's Loop turns out new pastry chefs ready for the professional world of ganache, puff pastry, mousse and much more. But it also offers classes for the non-professional. In a recent class on "Introduction to Cakes & Tarts," pastry chef Bob Hartwig took 16 baking enthusiasts through several French standards, including chocolate hazelnut cake with two mousses, lemon and chocolate tarts and much more.AdvertisementAlong the way, the always encouraging and always entertaining (and sometimes very funny) Hartwig offered tips that anyone facing a roster of holiday baking can take into the kitchen:

Cakes# When making a cake batter with more than two mixtures going together, don't incorporate the batters 100 percent until the final addition. Mix them just 75 percent. This helps avoid overmixing.

# "Comb" cake batter up the inside of the cake pan with a spatula and the cake will rise better.

# Don't poke a cake with a toothpick or other cake tester; if it isn't done and must return to the oven, then you've just given moisture a way to escape. Instead, touch the center lightly; it is done when it springs back.

# When letting a cake cool after baking, place a paper towel on top to trap steam and prevent the cake from drying out.Pastry

# When making a tart or pie dough, don't mix all the way until the dough comes together. Instead, when the dough is nearly together, place it on a large piece of plastic wrap and gently mold together by hand into a ball in the wrap. This will help prevent overmixing.

# While you're at it, roll the dough out partway in the wrap. First, unwrap the ball of dough partially so that the wrap is under the ball. Place another piece of wrap over the dough. Gently flatten with your palm into a flat disc. Then roll out the dough, still between the layers of wrap, until close to your finished size. Now the dough is ready to chill until ready for final rolling out between plastic wrap.

# Two strips of thin wood placed on either side of your rolling pin can help you roll more evenly. Try paint stirrers found at hardware stores.

# Avoid using a serving dish that detracts from your pastry. You want the eye to be enticed by your work, not the dishware.

# When prebaking a tart crust, take it directly from the freezer to the hot oven. A crust will form before the dough thaws, retarding shrinkage of the crust.

Source : Joe Gray * Chicago Tribune * December 19, 2007 * Jackson Clarion-Ledger

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