If You Need Information On Oven Temp Thermometer Then This is The Best Untapped Resource On The Web
 |
 GE Profile Black 30 PT956 Self Cleaning Convection Double Wall Oven PT956DRBB  US $1,925.00
|
 LG LRG3093SB 30 FREESTANDING GAS RANGE SMOOTH BLACK US $649.99
|
Why won't the water boil?
When making a cheesecake, the directions call for placing the pan in a water bath of boiling hot water. Then I place it all into a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven. Even after an hour in the oven at the constant temp, the water bath is not boiling. If water boils at 212, why does it not boil in a 250 degree oven? I should note that I have a thermometer in the oven, so not only is the oven set for 250, it actually is 250 as well. I would say the latent heat of water has some role in it, but I would imagine after an hour even that would have been overcome. Thanks for your input.
The pan with the cheesecake ingredients in it is acting as a heat sink for the water. The air heats the water, keeping it near the boiling point so the water does not start to cool. The water heats the cheesecake at a temperature slightly below 212 degrees Fahrenheit (as hot as the water will get).
The water bath is an attempt to provide a more even cooking environment so that the cheesecake does not burn on the edge and remain raw in the middle.
While some of the water will evaporate (until the relative humidity of the air in the oven reaches 100%) boiling will not be present until all of the water reaches 212 degrees, and that will not occur until the cheesecake (at least the area near the pan in the water) reaches 212 degrees. I would not be surprised if the recipe calls for removal prior to that point...