Turning the Heat On

This is the control knob for our oven. In case it isn't very clear, the options for the heating elements in the oven are: 1-top & bottom, 2-bottom only, and 3-top only. Mastering the use of this oven is a work in progress. I continue to learn, experiment, and otherwise "walk" in the dark.

I would like to give an example of why working with such limited settings makes for a frustrating baking experience... Anytime you need to use the oven for more than 10-15 minutes you have to do something like this:

1-Put food in the oven
2-Turn on the oven
3-Set a timer for 10-20 minutes (it's your dinner on the line, you decide how daring you want to be)
4-When the timer goes off, check the food
5-Turn the oven off
6-Set a timer for 5-10 minutes
7-When the timer goes off, check the food (the residual heat in the oven continues the cookin' process)
8-Turn the oven on (both elements? just top? just bottom?)
9-Set a timer for 5-15 minutes (again, it's your dinner on the line, the longer the timer, the greater your chance for a charred delight)
10-When the timer goes off, check the food....

This process can go on and on: turning the oven on, then off, then on again. The more I cook/bake the same things the more experienced I get at using this awkwardly designed appliance. For instance, we have made brownies quite a few times and I have learned a few things:

• Preheat the oven (I know you probably already do this in the States, but I assure you, it is not always the way to go... especially when your oven has three settings)
• Don't preheat the oven too long (if you would like to define "too" in minutes, I'd appreciate it, it would probably help the next time I bake brownies)
• When you first put the brownies in the oven, only bake them for about 15 minutes-there should be a small peak in the middle, then turn the oven off
• Let the brownies sit in the hot oven until the peak is considerably bigger
• Unless the oven is too hot, then you will want to take the brownies out for a few minutes
• When you turn the oven back on only use both heating elements if the top isn't too dark
• Powdered sugar hides a scorched top