Hints and tips for using the Oven
Fan Oven cooking
The food is cooked by means of preheated air force blown evenly round the inside of the oven by a fan set on the rear wall of the oven itself. Heat thus reaches all parts of the oven evenly and fast and this means that you can simultaneously cook different types of foods positioned on the various oven shelves. Fan cooking ensures rapid elimination of moisture and the dryer oven environment stops the different aromas and flavours from being transmitted from one food to another. The possibility of cooking on several shelf heights means that you can cook several different dishes at the same time and up to three tins of biscuits and mini pizzas to be eaten immediately or subsequently deep frozen. Naturally the oven can also be used for cooking on just one shelf. In this case you should use the lowest set of runners so that you can keep an eye on progress more easily. In addition, the oven is particularly recommended for sterilizing preserves, cooking home-made fruit in syrup, and for drying mushrooms or fruit. If you wish to cook more than one dish at the same time, we suggest that you change the cooking levels of your dishes during the last 5-10 minutes in order to obtain a more uniform colour of your dishes. NOTE: Shelf positions are counted from bottom of the oven.
Defrosting
The oven fan operates without heat and circulates the air, at room temperature, inside the oven. Ensure the thermostat control knob is in the OFF position.
Some hints For baking cakes
Cakes require a moderate temperature (normally between 150°C and 200°C). In addition, the oven must be heated up beforehand - for about 10 minutes. The oven door should not be opened before at least 3/4 of the set cooking time is up. Normal short pastry dough should be cooked in a mould or tin for 2/3 of total cooking time required and then garnished as desired before being cooked completely. Clearly, the remaining cooking time depends on the type of garnish used (jam, fruit, etc.). Care should be taken to ensure that any dough and cake mixes are of the right consistency since an unduly moist mix lengthens cooking time unnecessarily. The raw dough or mix should therefore be fairly difficult to detach from the spoon or beater. If three shelves are filled with cakes and tarts simultaneously, it is advisable to slot in an extra shelf between the two lower shelves.
Grilling
When grilling meat or fish, spread a little oil on them and always place them on the oven grid. The shelf level depends on the thinckness of the food. Always place the dripping pan at the lowest level, with some water in it, to avoid smoke and unpleasant smells.
