Hello!
I am currently setting up as a mini-macaron business, baking from home. We moved house, and while my macarons turned out well in the old place, I find that my oven here has given me enough trouble now (it has only three functions, is fan-forced and has no bottom element, which has made it impossible so far to get macarons that are neither undercooked nor browned on top). I am therefore looking into buying another oven! Has anyone got experience with this matter and can recommend a certain sort of oven? The aim of course is to bake more than one tray at a time.
I found an oven here which has 8 functions, a bottom element as well as a fan, and as it is on sale, I thought it might be worth a try - but asking advice is better in advance! http://ao.com/product/10593w-amica-electric-single-oven-white-38451-45.aspx
Thank you!
I make mine in a commercial fan oven (Lincat EC08). That's the type with the heating elements round the fans (there are 2 in this one). For macarons I just use the middle half of each shelf (a small macaron mat size) as I know the outsides cook hotter so they get a bit over-done by the time the middle ones are cooked.
I've not mde some for a while though, but have some to do next week, so if I remember I'll take some photos.
Looking at things like the GB Bake-off, they seem to make them OK in the fan ovens they use - however they're £1400 ones...
-Gordon
Thanks Gordon, using only the middle of the baking sheet sound like a good idea even for now with my current oven as I fond the outer ones are often cracked even if the centre ones are alright. The Lincat is outside my budget I'm afraid, but if you recommend fan,perhaps the one I found and linked in the previous post can work, too...
I will keep an eye out for the pictures!
Here you are: I loaded up all 3 shelves:
The top shelf is out of shot. Oven set to 160°C and they took a little longer to bake than I remember, although these are the first I've made for about 6 months or so. They're a bit "peaky" I think my mix wasn't quite fluid enough (Italian meringue method) but they'll do for the little tea party I'm serving tomorrow for some local volunteers. (to be filled with a strawberry ganache)
Might give my other fan over a go at some point - it's smaller - standard domestic thing. Wonder how the Rofco would bake them...
-Gordon
Thanks for sharing that! May I ask if they were at all hollow inside? I also use the Italian method. And did you find that each of the three trays had baked equally well, or did you rotate them?
I'm sure they will be much appreciated!