Top Oven

Jellybaby1

Sorry if this is in the wrong place. I have a double oven, free-standing. I've never used the top oven as I'm just used to the main oven. Is it mainly used for long cooking like casseroles, or does anyone use theirs for baking?

Dizzyblonde

I've used mine for baking a few times and it's fine. I always mean to use it more since it's not a fan oven and the main one is. I read that fan ovens can dry cakes etc too much.

The problem is, I hardly ever think of using the top oven.

mike65

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Sorry if this is in the wrong place. I have a double oven, free-standing. I've never used the top oven as I'm just used to the main oven. Is it mainly used for long cooking like casseroles, or does anyone use theirs for baking?

I use the top oven for everything! Takes half the time to heat up and the cooking temps can be kept a bit lower as its only heating half the space. Naturally you need to be careful about the height level esp with baking - place at the bottom and keep an eye on it otherwise you can end up with burnt top and even an undercooked base. Indeed large deep cakes would be not suitable for the top oven I'd say.

looksee

I rarely use the top oven, mainly because it does not seem to be as accurate for heat as the bottom one. I tend to use it more as a warming oven.

the beer revolu

I rarely use the main oven. Top oven heats up faster, is more economical and gets hotter. Only use main if I need more space.

Alun

I'm the opposite, always use the main oven as it's a fan oven, and the top oven is a conventional one and I never, ever bake cakes. The main oven also heats up quicker than the smaller top one.

Jellybaby1

Thanks everyone. If anyone who does use the top oven could give me an idea of temperatures, I'd be grateful. For instance victoria sponge, fairy cakes and scones. I don't often bake big cakes but sometimes Mary Berry's traybakes. Don't worry, I won't hold you to it!!

Dizzyblonde

I've done traybakes at 170C, and and fairy cakes at 190C in the top oven. I'll use the temperatures specified in the recipes, which is usually 10-20 degrees higher than for a fan oven. It depends on your individual oven too.

duploelabs

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Thanks everyone. If anyone who does use the top oven could give me an idea of temperatures, I'd be grateful. For instance victoria sponge, fairy cakes and scones. I don't often bake big cakes but sometimes Mary Berry's traybakes. Don't worry, I won't hold you to it!!

normally take off 10-15% from the stated temperature for a fan oven depending on the manufacturer

Jellybaby1

Thanks all. I need to adjust what I've been doing all right, just cremated a cake in the top oven that I have managed to bake perfectly in the main oven for many years! Back to the drawing board.

Dizzyblonde

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Thanks all. I need to adjust what I've been doing all right, just cremated a cake in the top oven that I have managed to bake perfectly in the main oven for many years! Back to the drawing board.

Sounds like your top oven is very hot.

Jellybaby1

It must be extremely hot - I've never seen such a cremation before!

the beer revolu

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

It must be extremely hot - I've never seen such a cremation before!

Sure you didn't have the grill on?

Jellybaby1

the beer revolu wrote: »

Sure you didn't have the grill on?

Positive! Separate knobs for grill and top oven.

bonkey

My kitchen has two ovens (separate from the cooker). I regularly find myself in a position where I need both...which is mostly when I use the "top" (smaller) one. Typically when I have two dishes which will need to be ready at the same time / have overlapping times and should be kept apart.

Also, when having friends over for pizza...bang a stone into each, and off we go.

I have also used it for warming plates.

I rarely use *just*the top oven...but if I do, it's because it's smaller and I don't need the space.

The Hill Billy

Hello stranger!

Jellybaby1

bonkey wrote: »

My kitchen has two ovens (separate from the cooker). I regularly find myself in a position where I need both...which is mostly when I use the "top" (smaller) one. Typically when I have two dishes which will need to be ready at the same time / have overlapping times and should be kept apart.

Also, when having friends over for pizza...bang a stone into each, and off we go.

I have also used it for warming plates.

I rarely use *just*the top oven...but if I do, it's because it's smaller and I don't need the space.

Sounds like yours is a much more professional set up than my domestic kitchen.

Also looks like you've met an old friend here!!

the beer revolu

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Positive! Separate knobs for grill and top oven.

Mine has the same control knob. It's easy to get wrong.

bonkey

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Sounds like yours is a much more professional set up than my domestic kitchen.

It's not professional...but it's nice Induction hob on a half-island (peninsula), and then two somewhat-high-end ovens wall-mounted.

To be honest though, the principle is mostly the same as any other hob-and-two-oven setup.

Also looks like you've met an old friend here!!

I haven't been around in a while.

Jellybaby1

bonkey wrote: »

It's not professional...but it's nice Induction hob on a half-island (peninsula), and then two somewhat-high-end ovens wall-mounted.

To be honest though, the principle is mostly the same as any other hob-and-two-oven setup.

I haven't been around in a while.

Gawsh, swanky! (drools!)

rubadub

Alun wrote: »

The main oven also heats up quicker than the smaller top one.

Probably a higher power element in the main oven so, which though quicker is probably using more energy overall.

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

It depends on your individual oven too.

+1, not just the nature of the ovens but even 2 ovens of the same make & model might have thermostats which are a bit out. Someone wanted a new oven in my house as there was no temperature indication and they wanted to bake a cake! I was saying it might be a little bit cheaper & wiser to make up 3 or 4 cake mixes and see which works at say a setting of "9 o clock" on the dial, and go up or down if the first cake does not come out right.

There is a way you can test/verify your oven temps by using normal sugar.

You can see this woman had little dishes around the oven showing hotter/colder spots


http://www.beyondsalmon.com/2013/10/food-science-class-lab-1-testing-oven.html

Alun

rubadub wrote: »

Probably a higher power element in the main oven so, which though quicker is probably using more energy overall

Energy = power * time, so maybe, maybe not. Fan ovens usually heat up quicker than conventional ones too in my experience.

Jellybaby1

That sugar test is interesting. Must try that.