Is a little oven less hot than a bigger oven?
Some months ago, I found a recipe for cookies and made them in a big oven; they were delicious and cooked very well (soft cookies) at 180 °C (356 °F) for 7 minutes.
I recently tried the recipe again, but I have no longer a big oven, so I used my little one (with heat source at the top and bottom).
The cookies were still almost liquid after 15 minutes, and I though that was my oven that was too old and not keeping a good temperature; I tested on another oven that is new, and I got the same result.
Does the little oven heat less than the big one? If yes, what do I need to do to adjust the temperature and/or the time? If not, what am I doing wrong?
The recipe is:
- 125 grams of soft butter
- 125 grams of brown sugar
- 175 grams of white flour
- one egg
- 1 cc of baking powder
- 100 grams of chocolate chip
Mix all except chocolate chip. When you have a homogeneous substance, add the chocolate chip.
Bake them 7 minutes at 180 °C. they're still very soft after that delay but they will harden.
Best Answer
It could be that your oven's temperature control is off somewhat. Ovens aren't exactly scientific instruments, so you can't be sure how accurate they are with this kind of thing.
Get a decent oven thermometer and go by that rather than the temperature knob. You might be surprised. Mine runs about 10-15 degrees less: when I set it to 180 on the dial, it's often about 165 on the thermometer.
Pictures about "Is a little oven less hot than a bigger oven?"
Is a small oven hotter?
The heating element and temperature in a small oven is commonly higher than in a regular-sized oven. Get to know your oven's settings by warming up a pre-cooked meal or cook something simple like a pizza or a baked potato.Does oven size affect temperature?
To answer the question in general: yes, oven size can affect baking significantly. Jefromi's points about checking temperature, etc.Are smaller ovens more efficient?
The smaller oven uses less than half the amount of energy as a full-sized oven, making it the greener choice.Are bigger ovens better?
We've found that smaller ovens tend to hold less heat (when you open the door, most of the heat escapes), and thus baking time is increased. Using a higher temperature can help to compensate for a lack of heating in a small(er) oven.Step mom puts step daughter in oven for eating too much part 2
More answers regarding is a little oven less hot than a bigger oven?
Answer 2
My guess:
With a little oven you probably don't preheat as long, and when you open the door you let ALL the hot air out. You need to reheat the air in the oven after the cookies go in for them to cook. Because the hot walls and rack are much smaller (and probably not as well heated to start with), it's harder for them to reheat the inside of the oven.
So the temperature is lower when you start the cookies. Some (maybe a lot) of the cooking time is spent getting the oven, the baking sheet and the air back up to temperature. Cooking them longer or at a slightly hotter temperature should help with this.
Answer 3
I have the same issues as I have a small apartment oven. It affects all recipes for baking in the oven. I have found (so far) that I need to reduce the temperature by 50 degrees F and double the baking time minus 15 mins. Example: I have a chocolate cake recipe that bakes for 30 mins at 350 degrees. I reduced the temp to 300 and baked it for 45 mins (double the time = 1 hour and minus 15 mins = 45 mins). So far it is working.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: cottonbro, Narda Yescas, RODNAE Productions, RODNAE Productions