Convection oven cooking is let’s just say, an adjustment!  There is nothing to really prepare you for how different this oven is from the stick and bricks kind of oven.  Convection oven is forced heat cooking that circulates heated air around the food you are cooking and reduces the amount of time needed to cook that food.  With, my first experience using the oven for crescent rolls. This being the first thing I ever tried, I watched it like a hawk.  I checked it like every few minutes to be sure I didn't over cook them and sure enough within 5-1/2 minutes, I had perfectly baked rolls.  My next experience was not as perfect as the first.

Confidence was gained by my first experience.  The next evening, I decided to try making cornbread to go with our chili dinner.  I went about mixing and getting it ready, placed the cornbread in the oven and didn't set the timer and walked away. This was the first mistake.  Secondly, after seeing the bread rise, it just did not look cooked since it did not get that nice brown, cooked look on the top. I decided to let it keep cooking without pulling it out to check it.  When the timer did go off, and before I removed it from the oven, I could smell the burn.  What came out did resemble cornbread.  When I went to cut them, I realized one was burned all the way through. The rest were hard as rocks.  We resorted to having crackers with chili this night.

A few days later, thinking that I would get it right this time, I attempted Cinnamon Rolls. This again resulted in rock hard rolls due to over cooking.  I think I am now understanding that no matter what you are cooking, do not look for it to brown in a convection oven.  Stay with the oven if you are cooking, check the food often, and place it in the oven for half the regular cooking time.  Just yesterday, I decided to try brownies and after watching and checking, within 16 minutes we had very moist, perfectly baked brownies. I think I have a greater appreciation for baking convectionally. The key is to not give up and do not be afraid of the new appliance, eventually you will get it right!  Happy Cooking.