On 12/16/2011 4:22 PM, Kalmia wrote:
> I'm kinda lazy. I leave the pizza stone in the oven all the time,
> unless the cooking vessel just won't fit on it. Is it best removed
> for, say, a sheet of cookies?
> Any caveats if I leave the stone in the oven as to time and temp? I
> theeeenk I have read that the baking is faster on the stone than on
> an open rack. What say you?

Baked goods will always turn out better with heat mostly coming from the
bottom. I don't use stones but being able to place the food directly on
the surface of a thermal mass is a good idea. Cookies, and light cakes
are an exception to this and it helps to insulate the bottom of the
cookies from direct heat using parchment paper or by using an insulated
cookie sheet.

Dark colored pans are important for good results for baked goods. If you
use stones or a baking sheet as a heat sink then silver pans would work OK.