FOOD NEWS
The Parchment Paper Hack To Discover Your Oven's Hot Spots
By Stacie Adams
Most ovens have hot spots — areas with a higher concentration of heat — that can affect the quality of finished meals. It’s helpful to identify where they are.
To find your oven's hot spots using parchment paper, place the rack in the center, set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and wait until it's fully heated.
Place a parchment-lined baking sheet on the center rack — white parchment paper is best to see the differences in color as the paper heats up. Remove it after about 20 minutes.
The darkened portions of the parchment paper signal the areas of the oven that receive the most heat. While this trick is highly effective, it's not the only tool in your arsenal.
If you don't have parchment paper, you can use a few slices of bread, which will serve the same purpose as parchment paper to pin down hot areas.
If your oven has hot spots, you can use a pizza stone to evenly distribute the heat or move the baking sheets around while cooking to ensure uniform doneness.