Knowing your oven

Home ovens routinely run 15 to 25 degrees off the dial. That is the difference between a pale cookie and a bitter edge.

Place an oven thermometer on the center rack and preheat a full 20 minutes. Note whether your oven runs hot or cool and adjust recipes accordingly.

Bake in the middle unless a recipe says otherwise. Dark pans brown faster; glass holds heat longer after you pull the dish. If you switch pans, start checking a few minutes early.

Resist opening the door in the first two-thirds of a bake. Heat dumps out, cakes sink, and pastry stops rising. Use the oven light.