baking

• baking cooks food using dry heat, usually in an oven
• lots of different types of food can be baked including:

  • bread, pastries, cakes, pies and tarts
  • potatoes
  • whole fishes
• meat can also be bakes, eg in meatloaf or casseroles, although large pieces of meat are usually roasted
• because hot air rises, the top of an oven is often hotter than the bottom, thats why food cooks quicker on the top shelf than on the bottom shelf
• modern electric ovens are usually fan assisted - they have a fan inside that helps to circulate the hot air around the oven
• fan assisted ovens are more useful as:

  • food bakes more evenly because all parts of the oven are at a similar temperature
  • the oven heats up quicker and your food cooks quicker - they use less energy
• advantages of baking:

  • a wide variety of food can be cooked
  • the outside of the food browns and crisps up, which looks and tastes nice
  • its quite healthy because no extra fat is added, and solid fats in the food often leave as the food is baked
• disadvantages of baking:

  • baking food can take a long time
  • food can become dried out
  • it also uses a lot of energy as it requires the oven to be kept at a high temperature for a long time