Pies
For best results, bake pies in dark, rough or dull pans
to produce a browner, crisper crust. Frozen pies in foil
pans should be placed on an aluminum cookie sheet
for baking since the shiny foil pan reflects heat away
from the pie crust; the cookie sheet helps retain it.
Aluminum Foil
Never entirely cover
a shelf with
aluminum foil. This
will disturb the heat
circulation and result
in poor baking. A
smaller sheet of foil
may be used
to catch a spillover
by placing it on a
lower shelf several
inches below the food.
Cakes
When baking cakes, warped or bent pans will cause
uneven baking results and poorly shaped products.
A cake baked in a pan larger than the recipe
recommends will usually be crisper, thinner and drier
than it should be. If baked in a pan smaller than
recommended, it may be undercooked and batter may
overflow. Check the recipe to make sure the pan size
used is the one recommended.
Don't Peek
Set the timer for the estimated cooking time and do
not open the door to look at your food. Most recipes
provide minimum and maximum baking times such
as "bake 30-40 minutes."
DO NOT open the door to check until the minimum
time. Opening the oven door frequently during cooking
allows heat to escape and makes baking times longer.
Your baking results may also be affected.
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