Pizza is one of the best foods that was ever made. Trying to make a pizza in different ways is quite interesting and hence we came out with this post on how to cook pizza in a halogen oven in your home.
This is a little weird for cooking pizza but that is the beauty of pizza itself. It can actually be cooked in any type of appliance as long as the said appliance is able to produce much heat.
The secret to cooking pizza is to get the right appliance that will provide enough heat to cook the crust and make it crispy. Also, enough convection heat to even out the cooking process.
Halogen ovens may not be the best option when cooking pizzas but the good thing is that you can, indeed, cook pizzas in them. Just another reason why you should buy one.
It is a versatile cooking appliance that you can, of course, use with other recipes other than pizzas. It also benefits you that you get to cook in a halogen oven at your own house.
That way, you will have more options in terms of the ingredients that you want. You can cook whatever kind of pizza you want with no limits on what ingredients you can put in it.
It will also give you the freedom to remove all the ingredients that you do not want. It is the perfect opportunity to make pizzas that will actually be more healthy and easier to make.
You do not have to deal with hassle orders over the phone if you want to specify your order. You just need the ingredients and the halogen oven and then you will have the best pizza at home.
So if you want to know the right process of cooking pizza in a halogen oven, then follow and read along as we take you to a proper understanding of the appliance and how you can make pizzas in it.
Table of Contents
What Is A Halogen Oven?
As the name suggests, it is a type of oven or pot that uses a halogen lamp in order to cook. It is the main heating element of the cookware which means that it produces convection currents.
That way, the small interior of the oven will be heated intensely and evenly. That is the perfect environment for baking any type of bread or baked goods as it helps in penetrating the dough.
That means that with the halogen light, the dough will actually be cooked from all sides. If you are able to attain that, the pizza or the dough will rise properly and become crispy when cooked.
It is a cooking appliance that looks like a huge pot, only it is made with glass. That means that you get to see what you are cooking from all angles to know whether or not your food is ready.
You have the controls on the lid so you do not have to get too close to the heat. You can control the temperature and the timer of the oven and let it cook the food in the best way possible.
Yes, it is an electric appliance which means that you cannot use it outdoors. It is basically a fast way or a convenient cooking appliance that you can use for any recipe that you want to cook.
Benefits Of A Halogen Oven
There are a lot of things that you can cook in a halogen oven. But what makes it better than other cooking appliances is the way it cooks the food efficiently and in a healthy way.
Healthier Food
When you cook in a halogen oven, you get a close environment that only cooks what you put in it. Meaning there are no entry points for any contaminants that might want to get in the food.
It also uses the fats and the other ingredients that you put in it. That way, it can reduce the fats in the food which can make it healthier for you and lessen the intake of unhealthy minerals.
The convection heat of halogen ovens also helps even out the cooking process. Even if the lamp is located at the top, the overall interior will be able to cook the food all the way through.
With the benefits of your health, come the disadvantages. You just need to limit the use of halogen ovens and not use it in all your meals to prevent the development of carcinogens.
Saves Energy
Another advantage of cooking in a halogen oven compared to conventional ovens is that it uses a lot less energy. It does not waste electricity and it is mainly because of its small interior.
All the electricity that it uses is put to good use as the interior of the halogen oven usually heats up to temperatures faster than large conventional ovens, making the cooking process quicker.
The halogen lamp itself is also more efficient than the broilers of conventional ovens. They heat up the food quickly without actually wasting or spending too much electricity.
How To Cook Pizzas In A Halogen Oven
Now that you know the main benefits of cooking in a halogen oven, it is time to get into the most important part and know how you can actually cook pizzas in this type of cooking appliance.
Check the Pizza Size
The first thing that you need to do is to check the size of the pizza and see if it can fit in the halogen oven. It is a small appliance with a compact design so make sure of the size.
This is especially important when you cook frozen pizzas. These kinds of pizzas are pre-shaped and so you can hardly trim off some of the parts of the pizza that happens to be larger than the oven.
So with that in mind, I recommend cooking pizzas that are freshly made. That way, you can knead the dough into a size and shape that will actually fit inside the halogen oven.
Prepare The Pizza
Once you get to the right size of the pizza dough, start layering your pizza by starting with the sauce. Make sure to put only the amount necessary to cover the pizza dough and do not put too much.
Put your ingredients on the sauce and then top it all off with cheese. If you are using thick toppings, it is better that you slice them thin so that they will cook faster and more evenly.
If you happen to use meat toppings, make sure that you cook them ahead of time. Sear them a little bit in a pan, just enough to put some brown marks, and then slice them thinly as well.
Setup The Halogen Oven
Preheat the halogen oven to its maximum temperature and then wait for at least 5 minutes. Get the racks or grids of the halogen oven and then stack them on top of each other.
That will be used as a cooking platform to hold the dough properly while it is still soft. Once you do that, carefully place the pizza on the rack and then put it inside the halogen oven.
Cook The Pizza
Set the timer to 10 minutes and then let the pizza cook. You can also reset the temperature to 175 degrees Celsius and then get the timer to 12 minutes while the pizza is cooking.
Since the halogen oven is made with glass, you will be able to see the whole process. Use the fan of the halogen if you need it in order to speed up the process and cook the toppings.
Check the pizza before the 10-minute mark and then see if the crust has turned brown. If so, check the cheese if it has properly melted, then you can turn the oven off.
Get the pizza out of the halogen oven and then cut it. You can let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving or go serve it right away while it is still hot and crispy.
Conclusion
Cooking pizza is a really fun activity especially when you do it at home. You get all the freedom to choose the ingredients that you want to use and finish it off the way you want it.
Halogen ovens are not the best option for cooking pizzas but they can cook them efficiently. With enough heat and convection, halogen ovens can actually make the crust of the pizza crispy.
You can make other foods in the halogen oven but pizza is still a great recipe for you to enjoy with the family. So go get your dough and ingredients and start making the best pizzas with your halogen oven!
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