The Pillsbury Company

Karyl M Corcoran

Thomas P Kempf

Desmond Newbery

An oven utilizes a convective heat transfer mechanism for cooking the food products where the oven provides heated gas in the form of columns or streams and which are directed to at least one surface of a food product within the oven. Moisture, in the form of steam, is introduced within the convective heat transfer mechanism. Thus, an effective moisture environment can be created at and around the surface of the food product that is cooked under the influence of the heated gas/steam columns or streams. More preferably, steam is introduced within the convective heat transfer mechanism for creating a moisture environment substantially surrounding the entire food product during its baking. Such an oven permits baking food products, in particular dough products, and even more particular bagel products, by a convective heat transfer mechanism that provides for quicker and more even cooking of the food product while providing for the making of whatever level of moisture is desired about the food product for imparting a desirable characteristic to the food product. For bagel products, in particular, desirable surface sheen and texture characteristics can be achieved The present invention is also directed to methods of cooking food products, in particular dough products, and even more particular bagel products, by way of such an oven.

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St. Anthony, MN, United States of America

Karyl M Corcoran