Hot air with regular bursts of steam creates golden, crispy results whilst keeping the inside moist and tender for perfectly balanced cooking.
For deeper caramelisation and a more roasted appearance, drizzle olive oil over vegetables after cooking. Adding oil before cooking creates a moisture barrier that limits browning, so wait until afterwards for the best colour and flavour development.
For maximum crispness, manually switch off the steam injection 5 to 10 minutes before removing your dish from the cavity. This final phase with dry heat alone allows surfaces to become exceptionally crispy and beautifully browned, perfect for achieving that restaurant-quality finish.
Place meat and poultry on a wire rack over a baking tray. This allows hot air to circulate freely around all surfaces, ensuring even cooking and uniform browning. The bottom side stays crisp rather than sitting and softening in its own juices.
One-tray meals often combine ingredients with different cooking requirements. Hot air with steaming creates the ideal environment for balanced results. Steam keeps vegetables tender-crisp while chicken cooks through. Potatoes achieve that desirable golden colour, and everything finishes perfectly together.
Hot air with steaming excels at baking bread, brioche and puff pastry. The added steam prevents surfaces from drying too quickly, allowing proper rise and development. Strudel and filo pastry achieve exceptional crispness whilst remaining beautifully moist inside.
Reduce the temperature by 20 °C and shorten the cooking time by approximately 5 minutes compared to conventional top and bottom heat. Steam transfers heat more efficiently than heated air alone, accelerating the process. This method is particularly effective for frozen foods like chips, spring rolls and all kinds of roasted potatoes.
