SC - Oven temperatures
Philip & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
Mon Feb 21 09:03:58 PST 2000
I'm trying a different bizcocho recipe, and I've run into a snag with the
baking directions. They say (paraphrased) to bake them until they are
cooked, then take them out. Close up the oven and let it sit for half an
hour to one hour, then return the bizcochos to the oven and let them sit
for 4-5 hours. Clearly, this is meant to let some of the heat dissipate,
then use the lower temperature to dry out the cookies until they are firm
and crisp.
Following these directions to the letter may work with a medieval wood-
fired oven, but my electric oven behaves rather differently. Once turned
off, the heat diminishes very rapidly.
The bizcochos -- which were the size of thick sugar cookies -- cooked
to brownness in 13 minutes in a 350 F oven. They were just done
inside and rather chewey at that point. I took them out for 30 minutes,
then returned them to the oven, but it was clear at that point that the
remaining heat was not enough to dry them out, and it was getting late,
and I threw them out to avoid "the near occasion of sin", as I believe the
Caholics say. (Why oh why do I cook stuff I really shouldn't eat?)
They have a high sugar content, and brown quickly, so I wonder if I
should be going for a faster bake at a higher temperature, then dry them
in a very low oven (100F-250F???).
Anyone here experienced with medieval ovens to give me some
temperature guidelines?
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
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