Why is it important to preheat the oven before baking?

Cooking is, in fact, an alchemical process in which flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, eggs, and essences are mixed to create all kinds of delicious desserts, breads, and other dishes. However, the magic does not end with the mixing of ingredients, as introducing a dough into the oven witnesses a series of changes and magical processes that cause doughs to rise, soufflés to have a fluffy texture, and cakes to double in size. This alchemical process not only depends on weighing the ingredients correctly or following a good recipe, as the cooking temperature is also ideal for obtaining treasures like cookies and cakes. For example, if you are going to cook a fried egg and pour it onto the pan while it is not hot enough, it will take longer to cook, so preheating the oven is necessary, here’s why! You can also read: How to use your mixer attachments? Why should you preheat the oven? In his book Cooking Science, Dr. Stuart Farrimond, who specializes in the science behind food, explains that there are several reasons to preheat your oven before preparing all kinds of sweet and savory dishes: “A well-preheated oven is insurance against temperature drops, but it also ensures that the air and metal walls of the oven reach the desired temperature. Hot metal acts as a heat reservoir and radiates it inward to maintain stable temperature.” This means that by preheating the oven, we ensure that the temperature remains stable during cooking and also helps to reach the desired temperature, which will be key in the preparation of cakes and desserts. On the other hand, the author also points out that by preheating the oven, heat loss is reduced when the oven door is opened to check the dishes that are baking: “Every time the oven door is opened, hot air escapes; if the walls are cold, the heater struggles to reheat the air; on the other hand, if they are hot, the correct air temperature is quickly regained.” You can also read: How to measure baking ingredients correctly How long should you preheat an oven? In the kitchen, there are many opinions, so experts recommend different preheating times. For his part, Dr. Farrimond states that by preheating an oven for 15 minutes, the only thing we achieve is to heat the air, while the walls remain cold, which means we are not actually baking at the right temperature. For this writer, the oven should be preheated for 30 minutes, as at this point a good heat reserve will be reached and the walls will be hot, which will maintain stable temperature during cooking. Meanwhile, for Shilpa Uskokovic, a chef and food journalist, the oven should be preheated for around 20 minutes, as she states that while others recommend preheating for longer, preheating for 30 minutes or more will not make a difference and will only make your gas bill exorbitant. You can also read: 4 different types of sugar and how to use them Before preheating the oven When it comes to preheating the oven, opinions are divided, so in addition to the tips from experts, you should consider various factors: 1. How well does your oven work?   2. Does it have a fan? This makes it heat up faster and keeps the temperature more stable. 3. What are you going to bake? While baking requires precision, other types of dishes won’t fail if the suggested temperature is not reached.   4. How long did it take you to bake something similar? 5. Remember that the bigger your oven, the longer it will take to preheat it.