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COOKING PROBLEMS
GETTING TO KNOW THE OVEN
DEALING WITH COOKING PROBLEMS
Get to know the oven with this ‘Simple Test Cake’
Although we strive for a perfect performing oven, it’s
possible that there will be some variation in colour
when baking. Therefore, we suggest this simple, easy
and delicious to make Simple Test Cake, it can help you
understand your new oven. All ovens do sometimes have
hot or cold spots, therefore it is important to judge with
your eye as you may require to rotate during baking.
‘Simple Test Cake’
125g butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
4 large eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons (80mL) full-cream milk
Method:
Butter base and sides of 2, 20cm straight-sided round or
square cake pans. Then line the base with grease proof or
baking paper.
Preheat oven to moderate ‘180
o
C’ (170
o
C fan forced) and
ensure oven shelf is in the centre position of oven.
Cream softened butter and sugar until light in colour.
Add vanilla essence.
Then add eggs one at a time, beating well after
each addition.
Sift flour and salt into the mixture and beat until well
combined.
Add milk and beat or stir to combine.
Spoon mixture equally between prepared cake pans.
Bake in preheated oven, middle shelf for about 25 to 35
minutes or until when tested with a fine cake skewer it
comes out clean or the edges of the cakes have come
away slightly from the sides of the cake pans.
Remove from oven to wire cake rack and rest for 5
minutes before removing from cake pans.
Cool completely.
To Serve: sandwich together with your favourite jam or
conserve, and dust top with pure icing sugar.
NOTE: If desired substitute butter for either margarine
or olive oil spread. Recipe is based on the Australian
standard metric 250mL cup and 20mL tablespoon sets.
GETTING TO KNOW THE OVEN
PROBLEM
CAUSES
REMEDY
Uneven cooking
• Incorrect shelf position
• Select shelf suitable for cooking function. See
cooking function tables in cooking guide
• Oven tray too large
• Experiment with other trays or dishes
• Trays not centralised
• Centre trays
• Air flow in oven uneven
• Rotate food during cooking
• Grill dish affecting thermostat
• Remove grill dish from oven on bake modes
Baked products too
brown on top
• Oven not preheated
• Preheat oven
• Baking tins too large for the recipe
• Use correct size tins
• Baking tins not evenly spaced
• Stagger baking tins at least 3cm between tins and
oven walls
• Products not evenly sized or
spaced on trays
• Make into same size and shape, and spread evenly
over trays
• Baking temperature too high
• Lower the temperature
Baked products too
brown on bottom
• Baking tins too large for the recipe
• Use correct size tins
• Baking tins are a dark metal or glass • Change to shiny, light tins or lower the temp
by 10°C
• Food too low in the oven
• Cook one shelf higher
• Oven door opened too frequently
during baking
• Don’t open the door until at least half the cooking
time has passed
• Baking temperature too high
• Lower the temperature
• Grill dish affecting thermostat
• Remove grill dish from oven on bake modes
Cakes have a
cracked thin crust
• Baking temperature too high
• Lower the temperature
• Food too high in oven
• Cook one shelf lower
• Cake batter over mixed
• Mix just long enough to combine ingredients
• Pan too deep
• Check size of pan
• Baking pans dark
• Change to shiny pans
Baked products are
pale, flat and
undercooked
• Baking temperature too low
• Raise the temperature
• Food too low in oven
• Cook one shelf higher
• Baking time too short
• Increase the cooking time
• Incorrect size tin
• Use the correct size tin
Cakes fallen in the
centre
• Baking temperature too low
• Raise the temperature
• Baking time too short
• Increase the cooking time
• Proportions of ingredients incorrect
• Check recipe
• Door opened too early in baking
• Do not open door until the last quarter of
cooking time
Roast meat,
potatoes not
browning in fan oven
• Poor air circulation
• Elevate food onto a rack to allow air circulation
• Grill dish affecting thermostat
• Remove grill dish from oven on bake modes
• Juices running out of meat
• Do not pierce meat with a fork
Grilled meats
outside is
overcooked and
centre is raw
• Grill at lower insert position
Grilled chops and
steaks curling
• Cut into fat every 2cm
The steam cooking
does not operate
• There is no water in the tank
• Fill the water tank
• Limescale is obstructing the hole
• Check the steam outlet opening and remove
the lime
It takes more than
three minutes to
empty the water
tank or the water
tank leaks from the
steam outlet
• There are lime deposits in the
appliance
• Check the water tank and refer to the chapter on
Cleaning the water tank
Steam and
condensation settle
on the food and in
the appliance
• The dish has been left in the oven
for too long
• Do not keep the dishes in the appliance for longer
than 15-20 minutes after the cooking ends
