During the 1970’s Optimus marketed a camping Mini Oven.Using the ‘dry pan’ principle of hot air up the centre funnel, the pan can be used to bake your favorite food.
The use of jello molds are being used in place of the Optimus Oven. It has been discovered that a combination of water and dry heat can produce the well baked, 6 inch muffin with “browned sides and top that most folks like.
Along with muffins, there many other foods that can be baked in the same manner such as : meat loaf, scrambled eggs, poached style eggs, pineapple upside down cake, Guatemalan “flan” and more.
The baking of a 6″ diameter muffin can be accomplished with 1 ounce of alcohol and you don’t even need a stove that simmers. I used a StarLyte burner with a simple hardware cloth pot support and also have used the Fancee Feest stove with great results. Other stoves work well also.
There is a wealth of information that came into being at my blog site “Adventures In Stove Making” in the baking thread. Here is a quote and link from that site:
http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=523&start=100
Pan Bread
by zelph » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:01 pm
Yesterday I wanted to test the mix out of a box. There is at least twice the amount of mix in a box. After mixing the batter I guessed at the total amount of batter to be 1 1/4 cups of batter would be half the amount for each bunt pan that I had greased up. I put the batter into the pans and was ready to bake. 1st one came out fine. I saw what appeared to be enough water left in the lower pan to do the next bunt pan. I proceeded as normal and half way through the baking I could smell something different. I went to the kitchen and looked to see if the burner was still on. Yep just on the last bit of fuel remaining. After a few min. I removed the lid and was surprised to see the top had browned slightly(see photo). I placed the bunt on a plate upside down and holding onto the two together gave it a quick downward thrust to have the muffin separate itself from the pan. I came out easily and was surprised to see the muffin had browned completely on the outside and inside.
The lower pan had run out of water and was being heated while dry causing no harm to the pan but causing the muffin to brown because of the high heat.
Now I have to make more muffin rings to determine the right amount of water for the pan to cook and brown on a consistent basis.
Things just happen for the better!!!! It was not intentional that it browned. I thought I had enough water left to do another bake.
