Margaret: I bake bagels, breads, even scones in a convection oven. I know
that there is a general concern that crusts will burn and interiors
will be underdone but it doesn't happen that way. Convection baking
drives heat into the bread and helps the interior bake also. You do
have to turn the oven down about 25 - 35 F compared to a radiant oven
but other than that baking most breads will work.
The only real exceptions are for items like popovers that
individually stand up and are exposed to the moving air. They are
hollow and seem to get brown too quickly, before the interior dries
out, but turning the oven down even more will prevent the egg batter
from rising properly. For popovers I set the popover cups on a
preheated baking stone at 425 D and then switch to radiant heat to bake.
I've baked bagels at 475 F and they come out great. Baguettes at 475
F to start, 450 F to finish, free standing loaves at 450 F to start,
425 F to finish. Don't be afraid of convection baking. It works
fine. I have even done paper thin crackers like Peter Reinhart's
Lavash recipe and it works fine, just reduce the temperature as
above. Seeded breads work fine also. You don't have to pre-toast
sesame seed toppings because they will toast nicely in the radiant
heat. Soft exposed toppings like onions might get burned however.
I've had the onion topping on bialys burn if the bialy doesn't
maintain its dimple and lifts the onion topping up into the airstream.
Werner