Convection Oven: Appliances 101

Over the past year, I went through a kitchen remodel at my home that tested our family’s patience and sanity (how many creative ways can you microwave dinner?), but turned out to be so worth it! The time, effort and cost that went into the kitchen really makes me want to know all about every single thing that is in it, so I’m going to start with the convection oven. The first burning question I had to know about my convection oven is…what is a convection oven?

I know, I know. It seems silly, but it’s one of those things I’ve always wanted to know more about. So what’s the difference between a convection oven and a conventional oven? Turns out, a convection oven works by circulating hot air through the food its cooking, whereas a conventional oven produces hot air that surrounds the food. Convection ovens typically operate at lower temps and cook food faster because of this hot air flow. And the best part of it is that food is burned less and cooked more evenly. Pretty great, right?

For our kitchen, we chose Sub Zero Wolf‘s built-in convection oven because of its simple sleek design and high quality. Wolf has tons of helpful hints on using your appliances. You can even search for recipes based on what appliances you own. I just printed out this yummy recipe for Cheddar Scallion Biscuits to test my convection oven skills. Does this mean my warranty will cover burnt biscuits?

Cheddar Scallion Biscuits (via Sub Zero Wolf)

What you’ll need…
3 cups flour
¼ cup white cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter, chilled and cubed
1 ½ cups buttermilk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Get started…
1.  Preheat oven in CONVECTION setting at 400°F (204°C). Place flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and butter in food processor bowl with cutting blade.
2.  Pulse the food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to large mixing bowl.
3.  Fold in buttermilk, cheese and scallions. Knead together very gently until just combined.
4.  Roll out on floured surface to about 3/4” thick and cut into 2-inch round biscuits.
5.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes about 40 biscuits.