A convection oven is a great appliance to have in your kitchen. It can make cooking so much easier for you by evenly distributing heat and speeding up the cooking process. But sometimes, people don’t realize that they need to adjust the way they cook their food if they are using a convection oven instead of an ordinary one! In this blog post, we will outline 7 tips for making perfect toast in a convection oven.
Can You Toast Bread In A Convection Oven?
Yes, you can and it’s easy to do. Most have a toast setting with a level of doneness, meaning it toasts the bread without any effort on your part. That said, if you prefer your bread toasted on both sides, it will take a little effort on your side.
Don’t worry, it’s not hard and even if you’ve never made toast in a convection oven before, you’ll see why people prefer it over a standard toaster or a microwave. After reading this article, you’ll know how to toast bread in a convection oven.
Making The Perfect Toast In A Convection Oven
You know that feeling when you come down to breakfast and the toast is just perfect? The bread is crispy on the outside but soft in the middle. And it’s not too oily or dry. It’s just right.
But how do you get that feeling every time, especially, if you only have a convection oven, instead of a bread toaster?
How to Toast Bread In A Convection Oven
Below are the exact steps for using your convection oven to make the perfect toast.
#1 Choose The Right Bread
Making the perfect toast starts with choosing the right bread. So, what bread should you use for toast? You might be thinking, “White bread, of course!” But actually, it’s not the best option. White bread is dry and dense which means that it will take longer to brown properly.
According to Planet Science, brown bread contains less water, therefore it will toast faster than the white variety. Rye and whole wheat are other great options to choose from. In addition, Rye has a distinctive flavor while whole wheat can offer some health benefits with its higher fiber content.
Some other options are a baguette or sourdough bread because they have more moisture in them so they’ll toast faster without becoming dry. What about rye or whole wheat? The answer is yes!
It’s important to consider what type of flavors you’re looking for in your toast as well as how long you want it to take before it’s done cooking. All that considered, choose wisely when selecting your bread.
#2 Spread The Butter
Spreading the butter beforehand will help soak through and coat the bread more evenly. This works best if you allow your butter to sit at room temperature so it’s easier to spread on the bread.
Be sure you butter both sides of the bread! The best part is you don’t have to worry about buttering your bread with cold butter and getting toast crumbs everywhere.
#3 Place The Rack In Correct Slot
The first step is to make sure the rack in your oven is in the right slot. Every convection oven is different, but each one has markings on the outside stating where to put the rack on the inside of the oven.
If it’s too low, your toast will be dark on one side and light on the other; if it’s too high, you might burn or undercook your toast.
If you have a convection oven, things are even more complicated: The air circulation can dry out your bread before it browns properly.
So when placing the rack for a convection oven, keep these two factors in mind: placement of the main heating element (which should be just below where you want to put the bread) and proximity to any fan vents (which could blow hot air over the bread). And remember that every time you use the convection oven, you need to readjust the rack, depending on what cooking method you’re using.
#4 Choose Toast Setting
The good news is that most convection ovens come with pre-set buttons for toasting bread. For instance, I have an Instant-Omni Plus and it has the following preset buttons:
- Air fry
- Toast
- Bake
- Broil
- Roast
- Slow Cook
- Reheat
- Proof
- Dehydrate
- Convect
- Rotate
Turn on the convection oven and select the toast setting. The oven will start preheating and beep when it is ready to begin toasting.
#5 Select Your Toast Doneness
There are 4 different settings to choose from: light, medium, dark and extra dark. Depending on which setting you choose, will determine how long it will take for the toast to finish toasting.
However, you can expect the toast to take about 2-3 minutes to toast completely.
#6 Place The Bread In A Single Layer
Place the bread in a single layer directly on the rack. It will cook faster this way because heat can reach all sides of it at once. Close the door and let it cook.
If you like your bread crusts crispy, ensure you leave a little bit of space between each piece of your bread. Also, the bread will toast more evenly if it has been cut at least 1 inch thick so that the heat can reach its center.
#7 Should I Flip the Bread?
A convection oven is a type of oven that uses fans to circulate the heat around the food. Compared to a conventional oven, it cooks more quickly and evenly by blowing hot air over both sides of the food simultaneously. The result is crispy toast, top-notch brownies, and juicy chicken without any need for turning or flipping!
That said, I’ve cooked bread several times in my convection oven and I have always gotten the best results when I flip the bread halfway through. So be sure you’re keeping an eye on your bread by peeking in the window.
Don’t open the door as it will take longer for the bread to cook. Once the top half is nice and brown, use a set of tongs to flip the bread to the opposite side.
Some convection ovens like the Instant Omni-Plus, have a built-in “Smart Program”, that will automatically beep and display “turn food” to remind you when to flip your food. That said, it doesn’t work on toast, because it won’t be in the oven long enough.
I’ve personally found that if I don’t flip the bread, one side of the bread will be nice and toasty, while the bottom half will still be soft and untoasted.
#8 Remove From Toaster
Once the bread is toasted to your satisfaction, the convection oven will beep and let you know it’s done. Grab some oven mitts and pull out the rack. Place the toast directly on a plate.
#9 Apply Your Favorite Toppings
Now it’s time to spread the toast with your favorite toppings. The great thing is there are several toppings you can use.
Since we’ve buttered our bread before toasting, you just have to add additional toppings, if you choose. Or you can eat it as is!
We all have our personal preferences, but there are some classics that never fail. I like a little butter on mine, and then the classic American girl—peanut butter and jelly.
Some of my European friends like to spread cream cheese or Nutella on their bread before they put it in the oven. And don’t forget about sugar! The best part is you can make a new recipe every day by substituting ingredients depending on what you crave that morning.
#10 Serve Immediately
Eating fresh toast immediately after it is made ensures that you’ll get the most flavor out of your bread because it will be warmest when eaten.
However, there are other ways to enjoy toast without eating it right away like making BLTs or tuna sandwiches, egg sandwiches, croutons, and etc. You can even top it with vanilla, strawberry, or lemon ice cream (this works best when toasting a sweeter bread).
If you find yourself throwing away your leftover toast, check out this site that will give you 365 ideas on how to use leftover toast.
Final Word
Toast is a simple, delicious breakfast treat that can be made in any oven. The key to making the perfect toast starts with heating it evenly and keeping an eye on how long each side needs to cook.
One of the most important things you should remember when cooking your toast is not using too much oil or butter so that it doesn’t get soggy from absorbing moisture from these ingredients.
Topping your toast is also very personal and depends largely on what toppings you prefer as well as which breads work best for different flavors.
It’s always better to eat fresh homemade toast right after it has been cooked because this ensures maximum flavor and crispness, but there are other ways such as preparing sandwiches out of leftover pieces of bread (this is a great way to use up your stale bread) or serving it as croutons.
References
Kristin Appenbrink, Have we been buttering out toast all wrong? TheKitchn.com, November, 10, 2015