Your Oven Is Lying to You

The dial says 350. The dial is an optimist.

Most home ovens run somewhat hot or cold, and many swing up and down as the element cycles. If your cookies brown too fast or your cakes sink, the recipe may be innocent.

Test it this weekend

Hang an inexpensive oven thermometer from the center rack. Preheat to 350 F and wait a full 20 minutes after the beep. That beep usually means the air has reached temperature, but the walls have not. Read the thermometer without opening the door if you can. Check again after 10 minutes.

If it reads 375, you now know to set your oven to 325 and keep the thermometer in there for good.

Find your hot spots

Cover a sheet pan with slices of white bread and bake at 350 F for ten minutes or so. The dark slices mark the hot spots. Most ovens are hottest at the back and along the sides, which is why recipes ask you to rotate the pan halfway through.

Four habits that help

• Bake on the center rack unless a recipe says otherwise.
• Leave two inches of air around each pan.
• Keep the door shut for at least the first two-thirds of the bake. Every peek drops the temperature.
• Keep a baking stone on the bottom rack if your oven swings a lot. It holds heat and smooths things out.

Once you know your oven, half of your baking mysteries will disappear. The other half are the butter’s fault, and we will get to that.