I get where you’re coming from—convection is a game changer for veggies, no doubt. When I redid our kitchen last year, I went with a dual oven setup. Thought I’d use convection for everything... but after a few over-crisped loaves, I’m right back to conventional for bread and cakes. Just less finicky. Still use convection for weeknight stuff when I want it done fast, but it’s not always worth the hassle if you’re after that old-school bakery vibe. Maybe it’s partly habit, but there’s something about conventional heat that just works for some things.
Honestly, I’ve had the opposite experience with bread—convection’s been a lifesaver for me. Here’s what’s worked:
- Lowering the temp by about 25 degrees (learned that the hard way after a few “crust armor” loaves)
- Rotating halfway through for even browning
- Using a pan of water for steam
It took some trial and error, but now my sourdough gets that golden crust without drying out. Maybe it’s just my oven, but I’d say convection can totally work for bakery-style stuff if you tweak a few things.
Convection definitely has its fans, but I still run into folks who swear by conventional for bread. I’ve seen some kitchens where the convection just dries things out too fast, even with a steam pan. Maybe it’s the oven make or how tight the door seals? I’m curious if you’ve tried both side by side—same dough, same day. Sometimes I wonder if the difference is more about the quirks of each oven than the actual convection feature...
“Maybe it’s the oven make or how tight the door seals?”
That’s actually a good point. I’ve swapped out door gaskets before and noticed a big difference in how even the bake is—especially with older ovens. I’ve also done side-by-side tests (same dough, same day) and the convection always browned faster, but sometimes the crumb dried out unless I really watched the timing. Have you ever checked for hot spots or tried calibrating the thermostat? Some ovens run hotter than they say, which could throw things off regardless of convection.
Funny you mention calibrating the thermostat—I once spent weeks wondering why my cookies always came out a little too crispy, only to discover my oven was running nearly 30 degrees hot. A cheap oven thermometer saved me a lot of guesswork. And yeah, convection is a game changer for roasting veggies, but I still prefer conventional for cakes. Something about the gentler heat just works better for me. Maybe it’s just habit, though...