The oven offers a wide range of alternatives which allows you to cook any type of food in the best possible way. With time you will learn to make the best use of this versatile cooking appliance and the following are only a guide, which may be varied according to your own personal taste.
Preheating
If the food being cooked needs to go into a preheated oven (this is generally the case when cooking leavened foods), the “ fan assisted mode” b can be used to reach the desired temperature as quickly as possible. When preheating is over, which is indicated by the red oven indicator light “E” going out. Place food in the oven and select the most appropriate cooking mode.
Cooking on More Than One Shelf
If you want to cook on more than one shelf at the same time, use the “fan assisted mode” b which is the only mode appropriate for this type of cooking.
•The oven is fitted with 5 shelves. During fan assisted cooking, use two of the three central shelf positions; the lowest and highest shelf positions receive the hot air directly and therefore delicate foodstuffs could be burnt on these shelf positions.
•As a general rule, use the 2nd and 4th shelf position from the bottom, placing the foodstuffs that require greater heat on the 2nd shelf position from the bottom. For example, when cooking meat roasts together with other food, place the roast on the 2nd shelf position from the bottom and the more delicate food on the 4th shelf position from the bottom.
•When cooking food that require differing times and temperatures, set a temperature that is somewhere between the two temperatures required, place the more delicate food on the 4th shelf position from the bottom and take the food requiring less time out of the oven first.
•Use the baking tray on the lower shelf position and the shelf on the upper;
Using the Grill
This multi-function oven offers you 2 different grilling modes.
-Use the “grill” mode d, with the oven door ajar, placing the food in the centre of the grill pan (situated on the 3rd or 4th shelf position form the bottom) because only the central part of the top heating element is turned on.
When using this mode, we recommend you set the temperature to the highest setting. However, this does not mean you cannot use lower temperatures, simply by adjusting the temperature control to the desired temperature.
-Setting e “fanned grill”, only with the oven door shut, is extremely useful for grilling foods rapidly, as the distribution of heat makes it possible not only to brown the surface, but also to cook the bottom part.
It can also be used for browning foods at the end of the cooking process, such as adding that gratin finish to pasta bakes. When using this mode, place the grill pan on the 2nd or 3rd shelf position from the bottom (see cooking chart).
This will allow you to obtain excellent results and to save energy (approximately 10%). When using this mode we recommend you set the temperature control to 200°C, as it is the most efficient way to use the grill. However this does not mean you cannot use lower temperatures, simply by adjusting the temperature control to the desired temperature.
Baking Cakes
When baking cakes, always preheat the oven. Make sure you wait until the oven has preheated thoroughly (the red oven indicator light "E" will go out). Do not open the oven door during baking to prevent the cake from dropping. In general, if:
Pastry is too dry
Increase the temperature by 10°C and reduce the cooking time.
Pastry has dropped
Use less liquid or lower the temperature by 10°C.
Pastry is too dark on top
Place it on a lower shelf, lower the temperature and increase the cooking time.
It is cooked well on the inside but is sticky on the outside
Use less liquid, lower the temperature, and increase the cooking time.
The pastry sticks to the pan
Grease the pan well and sprinkle it with a dusting of flour or use greaseproof paper.
You have used more than one shelf (in the fan assisted mode) and they are not all at the same cooking point.
Use a lower temperature setting. It is not necessary to remove the food from both shelves at the same time.
Cooking Fish and Meat
When cooking white meat, fowl and fish, use temperature settings from 180 °C to 200 °C.
For red meat that should be well done on the outside while tender and juicy in the inside, it is a good idea to start with a high temperature setting (200°C-220°C) for a short time, then turn the oven down afterwards.
In general, the larger the roast, the lower the temperature setting. Place the meat on the centre of the shelf and place the grill pan/baking tray beneath it to catch the fat.
Make sure that the shelf is inserted so that it is in the centre of the oven. If you would like to increase the amount of heat from below, use the low shelf positions.
Cooking Pizza
For best results when cooking pizza, use the “fan assisted mode” b :
-Preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes.
-Use a light aluminium pizza pan, placing it on the shelf. If the baking tray is used, this will extend the cooking time, making it difficult to get a crispy crust.
-Do not open the door frequently while the pizza is cooking.
-If the pizza has alot of toppings (three or four), we recommend you add the mozzarella cheese on top, halfway through the cooking process.
-When using two shelves, use the 2nd and 4th shelf positions, with the temperature set to 220°C.
