Ok, I admit I am a “control freak” and a perfectionist,
especially when I bake.
And those traits help when I want consistent, predictable results.
You will achieve baking perfection when you control
your measuring accuracy, ingredient temperatures,
mixing methods, equipment selection, and baking temperatures.
To control baking temperatures, a baker needs an oven that is dependable;
The temperature that you set on the oven’s thermostat
must match the oven cavity temperature.
Just because you set the oven’s thermostat does not automatically
guarantee that the oven will register the same on the inside.
Read below and learn how to test your oven so that you
attain baking perfection!
HOW TO CALIBRATE YOUR OVEN
(How to make sure your oven behaves the way you want it to)
STEP 1: You will need 2 oven thermometers. I prefer Taylor mercury oven
thermometers.
STEP 2: Position rack, second from bottom level. Place one thermometer on
right side of rack to the rear. Place second thermometer on left side of rack
to the front.
STEP 3: Turn on oven to 350 degrees F, and preheat for 30 minutes.
STEP 4: Read both thermometers insuring no heat loss when comparing
them.
STEP 5: If you have set your oven at 350 degrees F and both thermometers
read 350 degrees F, your oven need no adjustment.
STEP 6: If your thermometers are different than the 350 degrees Fahrenheit
programed on your oven, then you must adjust the oven’s thermostat up or
down accordingly.
EXAMPLE
If I programmed my oven to 350 degrees F and the thermometers inside the oven read 380 degrees F, then I must set the oven thermostat to 320 degrees F, to correct the oven thermostat, so it is truly 350 degrees F.
Thermometer reads 380 degrees F
Desired oven setting 350 degrees F
Difference is 30 degrees F
So, in this example, when the desired baking temperature is 350 degrees F, the oven’s setting must be set at 320 degrees F, because you have determined that the oven cavity bakes 30 degrees higher than the oven’s
control setting.
