Mastering Your Oven

Ovens are mercurial and each has its own temperament (and temperature, often unrelated to the one on the dial). I have given standard and fan-forced oven temperatures as a guide, although the difference between these has reduced in modern machines. Consider buying an in-oven thermometer and getting to know your oven’s quirks. If your cakes are coming out with a volcano-domed top and darker than golden edges, your oven is running hot so turn down the dial. The best advice is to follow the recipe descriptions more closely than the suggested cooking times.