Mastering the Art of Preheating

Preheating an oven is akin to warming up before exercise; it prepares your oven for the task ahead.

A properly preheated oven ensures that your food will begin cooking immediately at the desired temperature. This is crucial for achieving the right texture and doneness, particularly in baked goods, where the right temperature can affect how much a cake will rise or how a batch of cookies will spread.

Many ovens signal when they reach the pre-set temperature, but allowing an additional 10-15 minutes can ensure that the walls and racks have also thoroughly heated. Using an oven thermometer can provide the most accurate temperature reading, which can be especially valuable if your oven runs hot or cold.