Prevent a Burned Bottom on Cakes and Bread
The Hajka outdoor oven is designed with a heat reflector that reduces bottom heat, providing very even heat distribution. However, there can sometimes be too much bottom heat when baking.
The article covers how to prevent burning the bottom when baking:
- Directly on the oven grate
- In the baking tin
- With the pizza/baking steel
General ideas to reduce bottom heat
Always preheat your Hajka when baking, as you do with your ordinary oven at home. Preheating reduces the baking time, thereby preventing the bottom from burning.
Use low effect/heat when baking.
Use parchment paper on the oven grate, in the baking tin or on the pizza/baking plate - double layers are even more effective! Parchment paper with a structure isolates heat even better. You can also wrinkle the parchment paper by wrinkling it and then flattening it again—this creates an air gap.
Round parchment paper for air fryers (18 cm) is also perfect. There are also baking trays made of parchment paper specifically designed for use with air fryers.
See this blog post on how to cut a perfect round of parchment paper.
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Bake directly on the oven grate - reduce bottom heat
Use parchment paper, reusable silicone parchment paper or a silicone mat for air fryers.
Bend the flaps on the oven grate that centre the baking tin. Then, turn the oven grate upside down. The flaps then create more distance from the stainless plate.
When you put the oven grate upside down, the flaps create more distance from the stainless plate.
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Bake in the baking tin - reduce bottom heat
Note! Baking tin can be placed on the stainless plate + oven grate OR on the pizza/baking steel
Preheat on medium heat, then bake on low heat.
Use parchment paper; double layers are even more effective.
Use a silicone baking mould - an 18 cm (7 inches) baking mould fits the Hajka. You will find them on Amazon or in kitchen stores.
Search term: "Air Fryer Silicone Baking Tray 18 cm"
Bend the flaps on the oven grate that centre the baking tin. Then, turn the oven grate upside down. The flaps then create more distance from the stainless plate (see image above).
Use the heat distributor. (images below)
The baking tin on top of the baking steel, the oven grate reduces bottom heat.
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Bake with the pizza/baking steel- reduce bottom heat
Use parchment paper, reusable silicone parchment paper or a silicone mat for air fryers.
Place the stainless plate on the heat reflector (the part with the hooks) in combination with the pizza/baking steel. This will lower the bottom heat significantly.
Add the oven grate under the pizza/bread.
When using the pizza/baking steel in combination with baking tin, you can also add the oven grate below—with the flaps up or down. With the flaps facing down, the bottom heat will be significantly less.
Baking steel in combination with the stainless plate.
With the flaps facing down on the oven grate, the bottom heat will be significantly less.
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If you have more ideas on how to prevent the bottom of cakes and bread from burning while baking in the Hajka, please add a comment below!
Happy baking!
/Eric
4 comments
The flaps are best bent with a small pair of pliers or by pressing on the flap with a hard tool, such as the backside of a knife.
Thanks for the extra hints. I’ll have to try parchment paper next time we’re out. One other thing I did was got a thermometer to gauge the inside temp so it didn’t get too high before putting in the food. Once it stabilizes, I’ll put the food in. Also, a lot of patience is needed and a low flame. I think we’re used to quick cooking stoves like the jetboil that heat things up in minutes. This really is like cooking in an oven at home and requires time.
The first two things I tried burned because I tried to rush it. This morning’s cinnamon roles turned out perfectly!
Hello from Australia. After inadvertently cremating my first pizza, I set about doing a little experimenting and research. Here are my findings. LPG gas burns hotter than propane gas. If I am using LPG as a heating source, I use a heat diffuser (available from camping and kitchen suppliers) along with a perforated silicon mat or air fryer silicon basket (found a perfect size that fits the enameled dish. The perforated mat still produced a wonderful crust on the pizza.
When I use the Jetboil as a heating source, I have absolutely no issues with overheating and no additional silicon mats or vessels are required. I do use parchment paper regardless of the heating source as it makes for an easy clean up between back to back cooking of meals.
I did purchase a round, zippered camping storage bag which hold the diffuser mat and all the other accessories, along with the oven, nicely. Too easy.
Absolutely love this oven, quirks and all.
Cheers. 🇦🇺 🦘
Hi Eric
Could you explain how to bend the flaps of the oven grate carefully ?
Thank you
Yannick