A convection bake is a cooking method that uses a fan to circulate heated air inside the oven and cook food from the outside, creating an evenly heated environment. The fan and exhaust system help blow hot oven air over and around the food, then vent it back out, which surrounds the food so that it cooks evenly and more quickly. The increased air circulation causes a fan-assisted oven to cook food faster than a conventional non-fan oven, which relies only on radiation from the oven walls. When cooking using a fan-assisted oven, the temperature is usually lower compared to that of a non-fan oven, often by 20 °C (40 °F), to avoid overcooking the outside of the food.

Convection bake is best used for recipes that could benefit from the even heat distribution of hot air circulated throughout the oven via the fan and exhaust system. This heating method makes convection baking particularly useful for baking multiple batches of cookies or dishes on multiple racks. When you use convection baking settings, you can elevate your roasted meals by achieving crispy, flavorful skins on meats or delicious caramelization on vegetables. Convection baking is also useful for achieving light and flaky baked goods or cooking through layered casseroles and pasta bakes. However, certain baked goods are best cooked using conventional oven settings, such as cakes, quick breads, custards, and other delicate desserts and pastries.

In summary, convection bake is a cooking method that uses a fan to circulate heated air inside the oven and cook food from the outside, creating an evenly heated environment. It is best used for recipes that could benefit from the even heat distribution of hot air circulated throughout the oven via the fan and exhaust system, and it is particularly useful for baking multiple batches of cookies or dishes on multiple racks. However, certain baked goods are best cooked using conventional oven settings.