An oven with convection fan circulates hot air, causing the temperature to rise. This is also known as the convection function.
When baking two or three layers of food simultaneously in an oven, the bottom baking tray often struggles to heat up. However, convection ovens allow hot air to flow between the trays, resulting in less uneven browning. Commercial ovens can bake multiple trays at once, requiring less space and allowing for large-scale baking-a key advantage.
The advantage of convection ovens is their reduced tendency to produce uneven browning, allowing for the baking of more desserts simultaneously. However, for breads requiring contrasting browning, the uniform color can be inconvenient.
Additionally, because of the convection, dough or batter tends to dry out more easily. This is particularly beneficial for breads like croissants, which aim for a crisp texture, or other breads and cookies that require a dry, meringue-like consistency.
Conversely, for pastries that need to be baked to achieve a moist texture, such as sponge cake, the thinner the cake layer, the easier it becomes to dry out, making it unsuitable for use.