Five Top Baking Tips For Your AGA
It’s time to channel the Great British Bake Off and create some showstoppers. To help you get the best bake possible with your AGA, here are a few tips to help you on the way.
Position Is Everything
When you’re baking, the temperature at which you’re cooking is hugely important. This means you need to get to know your oven to find where different items will cook best. The way an AGA works means that there’s a significant temperature gradient from the top of the oven to the bottom.
It can help to experiment a little. If your cake is browning quickly on top, then move it down a set of runners next time. If it’s under-baked, then move it up. It is well worth experimenting to find what works best for you and don’t be too disheartened when you’re finding your feet with a new AGA. All it means is that you get to enjoy more cake!
Learn How To Use Your Cold Shelf
If you have a two oven AGA, then it’s time to get comfortable with your cold shelf. Placing the cold shelf at the top of your roasting oven will absorb a lot of the heat and drop the temperature of the rest of the oven. This will give you a baking oven temperature. Again it’s worth experimenting with the positioning of both your baking item and your cold shelf.
Remember that once the cold shelf is heated through, it will stop reducing the oven’s temperature. This usually takes around 40 minutes. So, if you’re planning on back-to-back bakes, don’t’ forget to take your cold shelf out and let it cool before you put the next batch in.
Switch Ovens During Cooking
The great thing about an AGA is that you can quickly move a tray from one heat level to another. You don’t have to wait while the oven changes temperature. So, it is well worth making use of this set-up. For instance, you can start meringues in the roasting oven for 2 minutes before moving them to the warming or simmering oven. This will give them a crisp outside and a lovely chewy centre.
Use A Timer
AGAs are fantastic for cooking. They heat food so gently that you can get out of the habit of setting timers. You can leave your stew or roast to gently bake away while you get on with other jobs. Unfortunately, if you take that approach with cake, you may end up with a burnt cake. So, try to get back into the habit of setting a timer for your baking experiments so that you can get the best results every time.
Make Use Of The Whole Oven
An AGA is an amazing tool for baking. To get the most out of it, you should make sure you’re using the whole oven. One spot that is often forgotten about is the grid shelf on the bottom of the oven. However, this is the perfect place to bake some stunning homemade pizzas, which can be the perfect pick-me-up or Friday night treat!
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Good luck and happy baking!
