Recently I made mincemeat tarts using frozen tart shells. They were supposed to be done in 20 minutes but 40 minutes later they were still raw. I think I put them on the wrong oven rack level. What are the oven rack levels used for and for what types food dishes?
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We use three positions for the oven racks in the Test Kitchen. The top or second from the top rack is used for broiling. The centre rack is used for most baking and roasting. The rack in the bottom third (usually one up from the bottom rack position) is used for pastry such as pies and tarts. I think that your tarts were probably not baked in the bottom third. Pastry needs to be closer to the bottom element for a crisp, golden brown finish.
Heather Howe
Test Kitchen Manager
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