Temperatures

[CHALKWELAL]

Hi all, do you use a fan or non-fan when you bake? I’m pretty new to this and always bake at 200C fan. I’m often also using a ratio of 300ml water to 500g (which I believe is 60% hydration) of whatever flour and flour mixes I'm concocting and 30 mins.I'm a bit scared of making a wetter dough as I use a Kitchen Aid due to shoulder problems with kneading. Any comments gratefully received. Al

 

[retired baker]

Hi all, do you use a fan or non-fan when you bake? I’m pretty new to this and always bake at 200C fan. I’m often also using a ratio of 300ml water to 500g (which I believe is 60% hydration) of whatever flour and flour mixes I'm concocting and 30 mins.I'm a bit scared of making a wetter dough as I use a Kitchen Aid due to shoulder problems with kneading. Any comments gratefully received. Al

It depends what you're baking, souffle doesn't like a fan, bread usually comes out fine.
Wouldn't a wetter dough be easier for the mixer to develop?
I don't understand the concern....although I can't imagine mixing anything for 30 minutes, most dough with yeast will burn out if mixed too long due to internal heat from friction.

 

[chassis]

My oven doesn't have a fan, so I bake with no fan 100% of the time. I am satisfied with the results I achieve.

 

[retired baker]

My oven doesn't have a fan, so I bake with no fan 100% of the time. I am satisfied with the results I achieve.

what you're making is unlikely to benefit from convection, pizza wouldn't work.
our next oven is convection, its the cats meow.

 

[CHALKWELAL]

It depends what you're baking, souffle doesn't like a fan, bread usually comes out fine.
Wouldn't a wetter dough be easier for the mixer to develop?
I don't understand the concern....although I can't imagine mixing anything for 30 minutes, most dough with yeast will burn out if mixed too long due to internal heat from friction.

Hi RB, many thanks for your reply, apologies but there's a mistype above, I use a mixer for 10mins (a dodgy shoulder means I can't knead by hand for more than a couple of minutes).

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi all, do you use a fan or non-fan when you bake? I’m pretty new to this and always bake at 200C fan. I’m often also using a ratio of 300ml water to 500g (which I believe is 60% hydration) of whatever flour and flour mixes I'm concocting and 30 mins.I'm a bit scared of making a wetter dough as I use a Kitchen Aid due to shoulder problems with kneading. Any comments gratefully received. Al

1. Temperature depends on what you are baking and the type of pan/sheet used.

2. Fan is not advisable unless you have a very large oven chamber (4 racks or more) and baking product on each rack. The purpose of the fan is circulate air between multiple pans/racks. If there is only a single product on one rack, all the heat is concentrated around that product and it will over bake. If do you have the option to turn the fan off, it is better to bake with it off.

3. Mixing isn’t about time, it’s about developing the proper amount of gluten in your dough. The amount of gluten you develop depends on the type of dough you are making.

4. Regarding convection ovens, despite what some people say about convection ovens, they are not designed for home use. Convection is designed for commercial use where multiple racks with multiple pans or full size sheets (a home oven cannot even hold a full size baking sheet) bake at once. Convection circulates the heat to ensure even heating between each rack and between the pans.

5. Professional bakers have to adjust the temperature and time when using a convection oven because they bake so hot. Some things like muffins and cupcakes cannot be baked in some models of convection ovens because the fans blow the batter out of the tins. Some bakers failed to do the research on ovens; they don’t realize the fan is the inherent feature of a convection oven. Then they complain about the fan, and want to know how to shut it down.

 

[CHALKWELAL]

1. Temperature depends on what you are baking and the type of pan/sheet used.

2. Fan is not advisable unless you have a very large oven chamber (4 racks or more) and baking product on each rack. The purpose of the fan is circulate air between multiple pans/racks. If there is only a single product on one rack, all the heat is concentrated around that product and it will over bake. If do you have the option to turn the fan off, it is better to bake with it off.

3. Mixing isn’t about time, it’s about developing the proper amount of gluten in your dough. The amount of gluten you develop depends on the type of dough you are making.

4. Regarding convection ovens, despite what some people say about convection ovens, they are not designed for home use. Convection is designed for commercial use where multiple racks with multiple pans or full size sheets (a home oven cannot even hold a full size baking sheet) bake at once. Convection circulates the heat to ensure even heating between each rack and between the pans.

5. Professional bakers have to adjust the temperature and time when using a convection oven because they bake so hot. Some things like muffins and cupcakes cannot be baked in some models of convection ovens because the fans blow the batter out of the tins. Some bakers failed to do the research on ovens; they don’t realize the fan is the inherent feature of a convection oven. Then they complain about the fan, and want to know how to shut it down.

Dear Norcalbaker, thanks very much for taking the time to reply to my post; all info very much appreciated. Many thanks.

 

[CHALKWELAL]

1. Temperature depends on what you are baking and the type of pan/sheet used.

2. Fan is not advisable unless you have a very large oven chamber (4 racks or more) and baking product on each rack. The purpose of the fan is circulate air between multiple pans/racks. If there is only a single product on one rack, all the heat is concentrated around that product and it will over bake. If do you have the option to turn the fan off, it is better to bake with it off.

3. Mixing isn’t about time, it’s about developing the proper amount of gluten in your dough. The amount of gluten you develop depends on the type of dough you are making.

4. Regarding convection ovens, despite what some people say about convection ovens, they are not designed for home use. Convection is designed for commercial use where multiple racks with multiple pans or full size sheets (a home oven cannot even hold a full size baking sheet) bake at once. Convection circulates the heat to ensure even heating between each rack and between the pans.

5. Professional bakers have to adjust the temperature and time when using a convection oven because they bake so hot. Some things like muffins and cupcakes cannot be baked in some models of convection ovens because the fans blow the batter out of the tins. Some bakers failed to do the research on ovens; they don’t realize the fan is the inherent feature of a convection oven. Then they complain about the fan, and want to know how to shut it down.

Hi again Norcalbaker, how do I see what sort of things you're posting?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi again Norcalbaker, how do I see what sort of things you're posting?

I don’t post much anymore. I just selectively answer a question here and there.

 

[Mona]

Welcome to the world of baking! The choice between using a fan (convection) oven and a non-fan (conventional) oven can really affect your results. For fan ovens, they typically cook more evenly and can help achieve a crispier crust. If you're baking at 200°C with a fan, it usually means your oven is running a bit hotter compared to 200°C in a conventional oven, so you might want to lower the temperature slightly (around 180°C) if you switch to a non-fan oven.

 

[Jessie_Roos]

Welcome to the forum! I can understand your concerns about hydration and using a fan or non-fan setting.

When it comes to baking with a fan (convection), the heat circulates more evenly, which can be great for achieving a consistent bake. However, it’s often recommended to reduce the temperature by about 20°C (or 25°F) compared to a conventional oven to avoid over-browning. So if you're baking at 200°C with a fan, it might be worth trying 180°C next time to see if it improves your results.

Regarding hydration, 60% is a good starting point for many recipes, but if you're comfortable with the results you’re getting, there’s no need to rush to increase it. Higher hydration doughs can be trickier to handle, especially if you're using a Kitchen Aid. If you’re looking to experiment with wetter doughs, maybe start by increasing hydration gradually, and see how it handles with your mixer. Adding a bit of flour at a time can help if the dough starts getting too sticky.

Hope this helps, and happy baking!

 

[Mona]

Welcome to the baking community! It sounds like you’re off to a great start with your baking adventures. Using a fan oven at 200°C is a solid choice for even baking, and many bakers prefer it for that reason.

As for hydration, your ratio of 300ml water to 500g flour is indeed 60%, which is a good level for a variety of breads. If you're looking to experiment with wetter doughs, you could gradually increase the water by 10-20ml and see how it feels. Using a KitchenAid is a great option for mixing, and you can let it do the work for you when handling wetter doughs. Just make sure to watch the mixing time to avoid overworking the gluten.

Don’t be scared to try new things! Sometimes wetter doughs can lead to lighter, airier bread, and you'll get used to handling them over time. Plus, the results can be really rewarding! Happy baking, and feel free to share your experiments with us!