The symbols on modern ovens can sometimes seem like mysterious hieroglyphics that are difficult to decipher, but they contain essential information for perfect cooking. One of these enigmatic symbols that you have undoubtedly noticed, but without knowing its important usefulness, represents the so-called “rotating heat” function. What is its role in the preparation of culinary dishes? In the following lines, we will demystify this symbol of rotating heat and reveal to you the reasons why you should adopt this functionality in the kitchen.
Understanding the rotating heat symbol
If you enjoy cooking good food for you and your loved ones, rotating heat could well become your best friend. Imagine its symbol as a magic wand for your oven, capable of transforming your cooking experience. A sort of ‘game changer’ which will ensure you have perfect dishes, avoiding a lot of inconvenience. Let’s see in detail.
What is fan heat?
As the name suggests, fan-forced heat is an oven feature, powered by a powerful fan and exhaust system that circulates hot air evenly throughout the appliance during cooking.
Symbol of rotating heat_
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Symbol of rotating heat. Source: spm
Importance of the convection heat symbol in cooking
The presence of the convection heat symbol on your oven should delight you, whether you are a novice cook or an experienced cordon bleu. And the reason is quite simple: You will make better dishes, cooked evenly. In its operation, rotating heat helps reduce temperature variations on one side or the other (hot and cold spots). We will therefore have uniform cooking, even on several racks. Some even more advanced fan ovens have a third heating element called ‘forced’ or ‘combination’ heat, which cleverly distributes hot air over the top, bottom and sides of your dishes. The result means faster cooking times, but that’s not all. This type of oven also eliminates the need to turn and turn dishes during cooking and is generally recommended for roasting meat.
Difference between fan and traditional heat
You might have a little difficulty distinguishing a traditional fan oven from a fan oven just by looking at their external appearance. Their main difference lies in their mode of operation, that is to say in the way in which the heat is distributed inside.
Fan ovens are equipped with a fan which ensures uniform distribution of hot air in the oven cavity as well as even cooking of dishes.
Conventional heat ovens use heating elements located at the top and bottom of the oven cavity to cook large cuts of meat or grill foods. As for pastries, they are placed in the middle rack for more suitable cooking.
This type of oven has the advantage of being economical (less expensive than a fan oven), of having cooking times, settings and functionalities to which most users are accustomed, but also of corresponding to the majority of recipes, being adapted to a variety of preparations. However, its use has several disadvantages such as longer cooking times, greater energy consumption due to heat loss, but also, and above all, uneven cooking of food.
In the oven with circulating heat, the fan may be noisy. Without forgetting its expensive price compared to the conventional oven.
Advantages of convection heat
Just like traditional heat ovens, convection ovens also have the same heating elements, but with the addition of a fan and an exhaust system which circulate the hot air around the food , and that makes all the difference. Here are some advantages:
Uniform cooking
The operation of the fan oven is based on the presence of a fan and an exhaust system which ensure continuous circulation of hot air. This feature allows food to benefit from good, constant heat distribution, thus ensuring uniform cooking for all dishes placed on the different grills. So you don’t have to worry about one side of your preparation being overcooked (or burnt), or the other being undercooked. With a regular oven, it is often necessary to turn the dish three or four times to cook evenly, because the heat travels primarily vertically.
Oven with rotating heat for even cooking
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Oven with rotating heat for even cooking. Source: spm
A fan oven allows you to perfectly prepare many types of dishes. This includes preparations based on meat, fish, vegetables, or even sweet delights such as desserts, pastries or even bread. But finding recipes specifically designed for this type of oven is not always easy. Here are some suggestions for dishes that you can try cooking at home with a fan oven.
Some dishes better cooked with fan cooking
Vegetarian pizza: Pizzas are among the dishes that are perfectly cooked with a fan oven. This makes the crust quickly crispy while ensuring uniform cooking of the dough and toppings. A vegetarian pizza is therefore a great healthy meal choice to consider for you and your family.
Grilled Wild Cod Tacos: For this recipe which requires grilling the fish using convection heat, the grill mode will allow you to heat the oven quickly. Your fish will be ready in a few minutes and you will certainly appreciate this speed at meal time.
Crispy Baked Fries: As you probably know, crispy fries are a side dish that goes wonderfully with many meals. By using the oven’s fan function, you can achieve easy, even cooking without having to turn them over during cooking. All it takes are potatoes, olive oil, a pinch of salt and a few minutes in the oven to get perfectly golden fries.
Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts: To give a special flavor to these vegetables, there’s nothing like cooking them in the oven over rotating heat, garnished with a vinaigrette which gives it a delicious flavor.
Chicken breasts: To ensure they are perfectly cooked, opt for cooking in a fan oven. So yes, you can make your recipe with any oven, but with this method, you can prepare a healthy, juicy and tender meal in just 30 minutes flat!
Many other dishes, such as baked casseroles, bread and pastries, and even cookies, are particularly suitable for this cooking method. If you frequently cook any of the dishes below, purchasing a fan oven will be a wise investment:
Saving time and energy
Fan heat technology, thanks to its continuous and evenly distributed flow of hot air, is a real asset for saving time and energy in the kitchen. Dishes cooked in ovens equipped with this feature are cooked more quickly. Convection heat therefore reduces cooking time by 25%, compared to traditional heat. This acceleration of the process comes from the hot air which constantly circulates around the food and allows for uniform and efficient cooking. In addition, fan ovens offer an additional advantage over traditional models, as they reduce preheating time, allowing cooking to begin more quickly.
How to identify the hot air symbol
You can identify the hot air symbol on the oven control panel. Generally, the symbol is represented in the shape of a fan inside a circle, thus representing the diffusion of hot air throughout the appliance which allows meals to be cooked evenly. However, some manufacturers may vary the design of the symbol slightly.
The hot air function is represented by a fan-shaped symbol on the oven control panel
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The hot air function is represented by a fan-shaped symbol on the oven control panel. Source: spm
Common symbols on ovens
The standard symbols that you can see on a fan oven vary depending on the brand and model of the appliance, but also the additional options that accompany it:
A fan
A fan: This is the most common symbol to designate rotating heat. It may look like a small fan icon or a three-blade turbine, indicating that heat is distributed evenly throughout the oven.
A fan with two horizontal lines
A fan with two horizontal lines: You can see the fan symbol accompanied by one or two horizontal lines which embody the sources and circulation of hot air in the oven. This symbol indicates that the heat comes from the top and bottom, and the fan located at the back is responsible for distributing it evenly. Thus, the temperature remains substantially constant throughout the oven, including between two plates, ensuring even cooking at all levels.
A fan with a horizontal line underneath
A fan with a horizontal line below: This symbol is also called “Pizza mode”. This is a combination of fan heat and the heating element at the bottom of the oven which provides a key advantage: the heat from the bottom ensures a crispy pizza crust, while the heat from the fan ensures even cooking throughout. This setting is not limited to pizza, however. You can use it in the preparation of all dishes that require the crust to be properly cooked, such as a quiche, for example.
A fan with a wavy line above (grill)
A fan with a wavy line above it (grill): This symbol indicates that the grill and fan activate alternately to create a rotisserie effect. This method is somewhat equivalent to rotating a spit when cooking a piece of meat. This is therefore the ideal mode for quickly obtaining meat and poultry with crispy, golden skin. Note that if you only use the grill for large pieces of meat or fish, there is a risk of burning the exterior while leaving the interior raw.
Eco fan heat
Eco fan: On some modern ovens, you may see a fan symbol followed by ‘Eco’ which denotes low energy consumption fan cooking. This function allows you to cook over low heat, at a single level, without requiring preheating.
Here are some examples of symbols that you may encounter on ovens with the convection heat function depending on the brand:
Whirlpool oven
Branded built-in oven with rotating heat
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Branded built-in oven with rotating heat. Source: spm
On this built-in oven from the Whirlpool brand, the rotating heat symbol is represented by a three-blade turbine surrounded by a circle. It is also accompanied by another rotating heat symbol represented by a turbine between horizontal lines.
Bosch oven
Bosch brand built-in oven with rotating heat function
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Bosch brand built-in oven with rotating heat function. Source: spm
The Bosch brand uses a symbol representing a fan inside a circle to indicate the fan heat function.
Siemens oven
Control panel for a Siemens brand built-in oven
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Control panel for a Siemens brand built-in oven. Source: spm
Siemens ovens have similar fan heat symbols. However, the style of the pictograms is clearly different from those of the Bosch and Whirlpool brands.
Brandt oven
Built-in oven from the Brandt brand with the fan function
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Built-in oven from the Brandt brand with the fan function. Source: spm
Brandt brand ovens generally display a symbol resembling a fan to indicate the fan function. This model also features several other fan-forced heat options, including the low-energy fan-forced heat mode represented here by the word ‘Eco’.
Kitchenaid oven
Control panel for a Kitchenaid brand oven with fan-assisted heat functionality
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Control panel for a Kitchenaid brand oven with fan-assisted heat functionality. Source: spm
On the control panel of this KitchenAid brand oven, the different fan functions are not indicated by symbols, but by words designating the different options available.
Where to find this symbol on your oven
Modern ovens usually have symbols on their control panel. These visual representations allow users to quickly understand the different characteristics of their device. To locate the fan heat function symbol, the first thing is to take a look at the adjustment dial or the control panel. Usually you will see a small fan icon. This indicates that your oven is equipped with this feature.
Optimal use of hot air
Using hot air can enhance your culinary skills and allow you to cook tasty, perfectly cooked meals, thanks to the benefits it offers. However, you need to know how and when to use it. Let’s see this together.
When to use the hot air function
The use of hot air should take into account the type of food you are cooking. It is therefore a good way to roast meat, vegetables, slices of potatoes, or to reheat dishes such as fried chicken, or even cook pizzas. Let’s say that rotating heat is ideal for savory foods that are cooked on a hob. It is also effective when cooking food on multiple racks at once, such as baking multiple sheets of cookies, for example.
In the case of desserts and pastries, this cooking method may not be suitable for certain recipes. As pastry chef Paola Velez told the Washington Post, this is the case with macarons, which can be tricky to bake, because these cookies, which must remain completely still to cook properly, can be deformed by the oven fan. The same is true when attempting to toast shredded coconut.
Custard cakes, such as flan and cheesecake, also prepare best in a moist baking environment, making fan-assisted cooking a less suitable option for this type of baking.
Convection heat is ideal for cooking on several racks
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Convection heat is ideal for cooking on several racks. Source: spm
Tips for perfect cooking with convection heat
To get the most out of the convection heat in your oven, here are some tips to know:
Set the timer earlier: With more even heat distribution in the fan oven, you can cook certain foods more quickly. All you need to do is set your cooking timer 10 to 15 minutes earlier than called for in the recipe.
Lower the temperature: Reduce the temperature recommended in the recipe by 25 degrees Celsius. As we indicated above, most recipes are designed for preparation in a traditional heat oven. This reduction in temperature will allow you to cook your food at a suitable temperature, without affecting the cooking time.
Do not overcrowd the oven: Make sure you always leave enough space inside your oven to allow hot air to circulate freely and promote uniform and optimal cooking of your preparations. It is generally advisable to maintain at least 5 centimeters of space above, below and around your food.
FAQ
Can recipes be converted for fan-assisted heat?
Yes you can. But due to the differences in their mode of operation, a recipe designed for a traditional heat oven requires some adjustments to be suitable for cooking in a fan oven, here are some tips to follow:
Most oven-baked recipes are originally designed for traditional ovens. So when you decide to use a fan oven for your preparation, an adjustment is necessary. Reduce the recommended temperature by 25 degrees Celsius and monitor cooking. For many dishes, reducing the temperature does not affect the cooking time, quite the contrary. To be on the safe side, check your dishes halfway through cooking to assess their progress.
Some ovens automatically adjust the temperature when using convection.
While cooking with fan heat, make sure not to obstruct air circulation. To do this, use baking pans with low sides, like baking sheets, to allow air to circulate freely around the food.
Is fan heat healthier?
Fan ovens are designed to optimize cooking, and their impact on preparation, but also on food, is significant: cooking times are shortened, which means less waiting. Their faster action on the meat is also important, because this helps keep its juices inside. In addition, fan ovens improve the nutritional quality of meals by preserving their essential nutrients, better than traditional heat ovens. Finally, their ability to cook multiple dishes simultaneously, each with their own cooking needs, makes them extremely convenient for home cooks.
How do I know if my oven has a fan function?
It’s quite easy to determine this. Switching on the oven automatically activates the fan, with a noise audible from outside. So give ear, and you will know. But even without turning on your oven, you can experience this functionality by looking at the exterior control panel. Look for a three-blade fan symbol inside a circle. This is the distinctive sign of a fan oven.
Which method should you use to bake a cake: fan or traditional heat?
If you cook with an oven that offers both traditional heat and fan-assisted heat, opt for the former if your dish requires slow cooking, over low heat, such as cakes. Fan cooking is best suited for rapid cooking at high temperatures.