Electric Oven Functions explained -
This page is not a cooking guide, but shows some of the many cooking functions available when looking at your oven purchase.
The quote "you get what you pay for" most definitely applies to appliances, even more so with ovens. Few people research enough to buy the oven they really need that suits their cooking skills and requirements. Instead of having the functions they wish their oven to carry out, they end up buying on impulse as it is cheap, as price is often the main decision with their purchase, actual needs are not thought through correctly. Once you have bought the oven it is too late, so do some research first, you will be surprised how it will change your decision. A better quality appliance will last you for many more years, as the quality build is better and so more reliable - and the oven will carry out all the functions you would expect it to do using your superior cooking skills.
Symbols:
Don′t forget an important part of your decisions will be the Appliance Energy Ratings. It's your guarantee that these products have met the strict criteria on energy efficiency, will cost less to run and help reduce carbon emissions. Double click the Energy image (left) to learn about them, and how they can make your products more efficient, and save you money on your electricity too.
Oven light:
On some ovens this comes on automatically when the oven is turned on. Other ovens have the light on a separate setting. By turning the knob onto this setting, we light the oven cavity. The oven remains alight while any of the functions are on.
Defrost:
This usually means that the oven fan is turned on, but no heat is being produced. Defrosting is carried out by simple movement of air to speed up defrosting times, but with no heat. Recommended for rapidly defrosting delicate frozen foods such as fish and poultry.
Conventional Oven:
If referring to the entire oven - this is the most basic and cheapest oven available. Used as a function within an oven, heat is provided by the upper and lower heating elements of the oven, but no fan. The heat is diffused by natural convection. Recommended for foods which require the same cooking temperature both internally and externally e.g. Roasts and Pastries.
Fan Assisted Oven:
The set function is for the upper and lower heating elements and the fan to be switched on. Heat from the top and bottom elements is diffused by the forced convection from the fan found normally at the rear. The temperature throughout is even and the oven heats up very quickly, reducing cooking times and so saving energy.
Fan Oven:
The circular element surrounds the fan and they are both on. The heat is diffused by forced convection. A powerful fan draws air from the interior of the oven. It then heats up the air and forces it right back into the oven cavity through strategically placed shaped ducts in the rear wall. This system means the oven heats up rapidly, and needs little or no preheating. Recommended for food that needs to be tender or rare on the inside and well done on the outside such as lamb, roast beef and whole fish.
With better quality fan ovens e.g.* Neff′s Circotherm * fan system, you can also cook foods with strong flavours together, without, worrying of them being transferred.
Bottom Heat only:
The lower heating element is switched on. For more focused heat and control. This method is ideal for pizza bases and pastry cases where you need a crispy underside or bain marie or casseroles.
Top Heat only:
The top heating element is switched on. Perfect for flash browning dishes like cauliflower and macaroni cheese, when you need to achieve a gratin finish.
Top and Bottom Heat Only:
The top and lower heating element is switched on. Heat travels to the centre of the oven by natural conduction. This is ideal for baking pastries and scones.
Fan Cooking with Top Heat:
The upper and circular element, and fan, diffuse the heat by forced convection with most of the heat being produced by the top element.
Fan with Bottom Heat Only:
Using a combination of fan and bottom heat. The heat coming from the bottom is diffused by forced convection. This is ideal for anything that needs a crispy underside as pizzas, or speciality breads. It can also be used for one stage pastry such as lemon meringue pie, eliminating the need for blind baking.
Warming Oven:
Heat is provided from the bottom of the oven only and is distributed by natural convection. This is typically 66°C to 100°C and can be used to keep prepared food warm without drying it out.
Full Grill:
The heat is over the entire width of the grill element. Heat is diffused by radiation from the top infra-red heating element by a variable temperature control. The door must be open.
Part Grill:
The heat is aimed at a smaller more localised area, normally the centre. Heat is diffused by radiation from the top infra-red heating element by a variable temperature control. The oven door must be open.
Turbo Grill:
In this position the upper heating element and the grill element are on simultaneously so that also the corner areas are heated. Heat is radiated over the entire surface area of the grill. This function starts cooking with pre-heating temperature set at 225°C.
Fanned Grill:
The grill element cycles on and off alternately, and the fan distributes the heat produced by the grill. This method can reduce cooking times by 35 to 40% and is ideal for meats and poultry if you′re after a rotisserie result. The oven door must be closed.
Plate warming:
Low temperature plate warming setting. Hot air is circulated at upto 65°C to safely warm your crockery.
Dough Proving:
This function provides a warm, damp environment perfect for proving dough yeast.
Bread Baking:
This setting is only found on the more specialist ovens which are in the more expensive market. The bread baking temperature ranges between 180°C and 220°C. This is ideally suited to baking crusty bread with a open texture. Upto several levels of bread can be baked at the same time.
Steam Cooking:
The convection steam oven is perfect for anyone who has a healthy attitude toward cooking. These ovens operate without increased cavity pressure but still allow a perfect distribution of heat and moisture.
Fan/Steam Cooking:
The latest advanced steam combination fan/steam ovens allow you to combine hot air cooking and steaming at the same time. This means you can prepare all sorts of foods - bread, meat and fish, for example - keeping them beautifully moist on the inside but satisfyingly crisp on the outside.
Combi - Microwave:
Standard microwave cooking within the fan oven.
Combi - Fan Microwave:
Standard microwave cooking with the addition of the heated fan oven, used together can substantially reduce cooking times.
Combi - Grill Microwave:
Standard microwave cooking with the addition of the high power oven grill for browning.
Eco Setting:
This is an energy saving programme that can save upto 20% compared to conventional cooking. The energy saving is achieved by the oven not requiring pre-heating so cooking times might be slightly longer and the temperature might fluctuate slightly. Ideal for non heat sensitive foods such as casseroles, stews, pot roasting etc. Heat is produced by the grill and base elements.
Low Temperature Cooking:
As well as Neff appliances, De Dietrich also incorporate Low Temperature Cooking as an alternative to conventional roasting. Featuring eight pre-selected menus, from pink or well cooked lamb, rare or well cooked beef to fish and milk puddings, the multifunction oven cooks at a constant temperature of less than 100°C and automatically sets the duration to provide the best results.
Computerised Intelligent Control System:
* De Dietrich * exclusive Intelligent Control System lets you cook like a pro. Simply select the desired image, e.g. chicken, beef or pizza from the 12 most commonly cooked dishes, and the oven will set all the parameters. Using sensors, it assesses the weight and density of the food, automatically suggests the correct shelf, function and temperature and continually monitors the dish as it cooks, changing any settings if required. Another option is to use integrated cooking guide which contains forty four pre-programmed cooking options. Just choose which dish you want and enter the weight of the food using the Interactive Display. The oven automatically determines the most suitable cooking method, temperature, and cooking time.
Recipe function:
This function automatically programmes the optimum time, duration and settings for various foods.
Pizza mode:
A pizza mode is designed to ensure a perfectly cooked pizza with a crispy base. In most ovens this can give a slightly better result than just using the fan mode. It′s worth considering if you eat a lot of pizza.
Essential functions:
Oven Timers and programmers:
The ‘minute minder’ is the most basic and turns the oven off after a set amount of time. Most ovens now have a digital clock and some sort of timer. They sound an alarm when the set time is up. Advanced auto timers can be programmed to let you start and end times, by pre-programming the oven to start and finish cooking at pre-set times, so you can return home and dinner will be ready to serve.
Meat Probe:
The oven probe thermometer makes cooking less work and improve your odds of success in cooking at the correct temperature. Using the probe, you can keep track of the internal temperature of the food while keeping the oven door closed. The probe is attached to the oven or microwave by a thin wire, the appliance will calculate the temperature/time required. This is especially useful for cooking large foods, such as roasts or turkeys, when checking the temperature in more than one place is advised.
Child Lock:
The child lock is an essential safety feature, De Dietrich use it on most of their models whereby the control panel can be disabled to prevent accidental operation, ensuring peace of mind at all times.
Cool Door:
On the better quality ovens, multiple glass door panes provide extra insulation to help retain the heat within the interior of the oven, and keep the outer door glass cooler to the touch. A cooling fan further cools the door by drawing in cool air and circulating it through the multiple glass door panes during both the cooking and cleaning process. Brands such as De Dietrich have gone one step further with the cool door, where the temperature during normal cooking, is only 25°C at the centre of the outer oven door.
Cleaning functions:
CeramiClean®:
A special setting within Neff ovens designed to keep CeramiClean® surfaces inside the oven as clean as possible. On some models this is a manual feature, on others this is fully electronic. Used on a regular basis it can keep your oven interior lines remarkably clean.
AquaCleanse®:
Another Neff function. AquaCleanse® is a brilliant aid to cleaning, softening greasy residues that can then be wiped away. All you have to do is add three quarters of a pint of water and some washing up liquid to the base of your oven. Then, chose the Q symbol on your oven′s control panel. This will activate the bottom heat function to heat the water to 60°C. This produces steam throughout the oven which softens any greasy deposits. When the water cools, you can wipe out the oven with a sponge or cloth. This is not a self cleaning function.
Catalytic liners:
Catalytic liners are made of porous material which absorbs grease. At high temperature a reaction takes place between the material and grease and stains are dispersed as a vapour, making your oven walls easier to keep clean. Catalytic liners should never be cleaned manually. Most ovens that are sold with catalytic liners have two panels (one to each side) but some more expensive models can have up to four, this can cover the roof or back or both.
Pyrolytic programs:
Pyrolytic oven programs burn off dirt and grease at up to about 500°C. All you do is sweep out the ash afterwards. They can take 2 hours - or more, and for safety the oven door will lock during this time.
An important part of your decisions will be the * ENERGY RATINGS * buying the most efficient products and saving money
on your electricity too. Efficient appliances are also more environmentally friendly, reducing your impact on global warming and help reduce carbon emissions.
Here at Dream Kitchens our experienced designers can help you make the right choice for both you and your home. Please contact us for further info.
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