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?

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.

On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:22:55 -0800 (PST), 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?

I wouldn't say it's "faster", but you get a nice even heat from the
bottom. I like placing my souffle dish on it to get that boost of
bottom heat.
--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:32:29 -1000, dsi1
> wrote:

> 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.

I'm the opposite of you when it comes to cookies. I do *not* want
cookies with a browned bottom, so I don't place the cookie sheet on a
baking stone or tiles and I don't use dark cookie sheets. I have an
insulated (double walled with air in between) cookie sheet that I use
to keep their little bottoms as light as possible.
--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

On 12/16/2011 9:02 PM, sf wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:32:29 -1000, dsi1
>> 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.
>
> I'm the opposite of you when it comes to cookies. I do *not* want
> cookies with a browned bottom, so I don't place the cookie sheet on a
> baking stone or tiles and I don't use dark cookie sheets. I have an
> insulated (double walled with air in between) cookie sheet that I use
> to keep their little bottoms as light as possible.

Actually, we're in complete agreement. If you reread the first
paragraph, I recommend using parchment paper on a cookie sheet or using
an insulated sheet for cookies. Either way I wouldn't place cookies or
cakes on stones.

On 12/16/2011 8:22 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?

I forgot that mine was in the oven and set it for self-cleaning. What a
pleasant surprise to find an immaculately clean pizza stone when the
cleaning was over.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On 12/16/2011 11:32 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> 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.

It's been my experience that cookies baked on insulated cookie
sheets don't get done enough.

> 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.

And, it's been my experience with dark pans that they get overdone or
burnt on the bottom.

I'll stick with plain "silver" aluminum pans.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?