If you often use an oven to cook or defrost your food, you probably had to make friends with the different figures next to the function knob when you learned how to use it ( or are you among those who rely on Lady Luck by turning the knobs at random? )
Maybe you're the same person who's left speechless when they ask you, " Yes, but do you have a static or fan oven? " Well, this article is definitely for you. Come on in, because today... We'll explain the difference between the two, and whether it's better to use a conventional or fan-assisted oven.
When to use a fan oven
Let's start with the main difference between a static oven and a fan-assisted one: the way heat is spread .
In a convection oven, heat can spread very evenly thanks to the fan that produces continuous airflow. Food is cooked by convection, as the air reaches every part of the oven. You can also cook multiple foods at the same time by using the oven shelves. Even cooking is ensured by the air circulation, which prevents the aromas of the two foods from mixing. With a convection oven, cooking will be faster: the food will develop a crispy surface and a moister, softer interior. Recommended for baked pasta, roasts, chicken, fish, vegetables, as well as desserts, pies, and biscuits.
When to use the static oven
In a static oven, however, cooking is by radiation. Heat is distributed through heating elements at the top and bottom. This cooking method will take longer for the food to cook, and most importantly, you can only cook one item. And here you'll say: but then a static oven isn't worth it! It's not that simple: a static oven is recommended for recipes containing yeast, which requires a more gentle cooking time to allow for growth and proper baking. You can therefore use it to make bread, pizza, focaccia, puff pastry, sponge cake, and some desserts.
Gas ovens are also of this type, with the difference that the heat starts from the lower base, where the flame is positioned.
Cooking tips and methods
There's a difference of about 25 degrees Celsius between convection and conventional cooking. This means that if you don't have a microwave oven capable of switching between the two modes, but only a conventional one, you'll need to increase the temperature without changing the cooking time to achieve a very similar result. Conversely, if you have a convection oven but need a softer, more tender cooking method, lower the temperature by about 20 degrees. You'll see that, cooking after cooking, you'll be able to tell from the cooking time whether your food is ready to eat or not.
When it comes to cooking, there are a whole host of tricks and tips for various recipes that will allow you to make the most of your conventional or convection oven. If you need bread to rise, for example, in a convection oven you can take milk, beaten egg, or melted butter and brush it over the entire surface to prevent a hard surface that could harden or burn. Another trick to encourage leavening is to place a bowl of water on the bottom of the oven to steam the bread. There are many more, but space is limited here, and we don't want to spoil the excitement of discovering them all on your own.
The right baking trays
We have just a little more space to remind you that you can rely on Mamù not so much to buy your next static or fan oven because we don't sell them, but the baking trays , those yes. You can find them in the dedicated section of our website or on the catalog.
If you need some inspiration and ideas for recipes to use in your oven, then take a look to our special recipes!
And if you don't have an oven, but you really want bread, you might be interested in our guide on all the ways to bake bread without an oven !
