Uneven cooking in fan oven

You should always buy an oven thermostat so you can verify the temperature inside before putting the batter in. I also use magic cake strips soaked in water and pinned all the way around to even out the temperature so that the cake rises the same time on the edges as the middle without the outsides baking too fast. and staying stumpy.

• Either the oven was not fully preheated before baking so it dried out a bit on the edges.
• Or The temperature was just up to high and it baked to fast making it crisp on the outside yet not done on the inside.
• Or there is to much batter in the pan and while the temperature is set proper there is to much batter to throughly cook.

Regards, Tony

helllo dis.... There are many things that can cause cakes to fall in the middle.... Jumping, etc., around the baking area is unlikely to be a problem except with very delicate sponge or angel food cakes. More likely, cakes fall when the crust appears to be done, but the batter is not baked through the middle. An uneven baking temperature is a frequent culprit; check the temperature of your oven with a separate baking thermometer, and be certain that your oven holds a steady heat through the entire baking period. Some older ovens preheat properly, then cycle off and drop the temperature after 15 or 20 minutes, which causes the uncooked portion of the cake to fall.

Less likely but possible problems could be inaccurate proportions of baking powder or baking soda if the cake is made from scratch. This could occur with cake mixes if sour milk or buttermilk is used instead of regular milk; the additional acid in sour milk requires additional baking soda to rise properly. Eggs that are not beaten properly, or perhaps beaten too much for the type of cake being made, might also cause problems. Joe

Have you tried 300* and the fans off? Each oven has their own "likes", "quirks", and personalities.. as you know..

Using a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the cake, the internal temperature should read 195-205F (or 90-95C) when it is fully cooked.

I agree, the heating is very uneven in our oven, however, when I calibrated the temperature with a thermocouple, I discovered that the temperature gauge was 25C too hot! That is, if I set the oven temperature gauge to 155C, it was actually 180C inside the oven! Taking this in to account, it is now much easier to cook things without them burning.

I repair commercial cooking equipment for a living. When a customer complains about uneven cooking the #1 thing that these manufacturers ask is..... are they turning (180*) the baking sheets half way thru the cook cycle. #2 are they staggering the pans front to back & side to side. It's kind of a pain but, works for the commercial ones.

seems like the thermostat needs replacing, also make sure any programming mode, mechanical or digital is off

You should always preheat oven to operating temperature before cooking anything.
Do not put too much in oven, leave plenty af space for good air circulation.
Do not place any reflective foil or the like on the bottom of oven or shelves, as this reflects heat, and you will get uneven cooking.
Make sure fan is working efficiently if it is fan assisted.

HI SIR  
When you first use your Oven, the Oven will need to "settle". That is, it needs to burn off production residues and dust. The metal used in the Oven will also expand slightly when first used. You will experience some crackling and a strong smell. This is perfectly normal and we advice you anticipate this "settling" prior to use. Using an empty Oven, select Function 4 and set a temperature of 250°, allow the Oven to "settle" for hour, turn to function 3 and heat for a further 1/2 hour.
Multifunction Oven Function Selections

2. Defrost - This function activates the fan only, (no heat is used) to allow controlled and hygienic defrosting.
3. Conventional cooking - Normal or traditional cooking functions using the top and bottom elements. When using this function set the thermostat between 50 - 250°C. When the desired temperature is reached the yellow light will go out and then alternate between lit and unlit as the temperature is controlled.
4. Fan-Forced cooking - This selection is best for multilevel cooking as the heat generated by the central element is circulated around the Oven, creating an even heat environment. You will need to set the thermostat dial between 50-250°C for this function.
5. Center Griller - For best results set the thermostat to MAX. The door may remain closed or completely open.
6. Large Griller - For best results set the thermostat to MAX. The door may remain closed or completely open.
7. Fan Griller - This function combines the grill element with fan assistance and is used in conjunction with the thermostat. The Oven door must remain CLOSED during cooking. The thermostat dial should be set between 50-250°C for this function. 
8. Fan-assisted Baking or Patisserie Setting - Combines the concealed bottom element with fan assistance and is used in conjunction with the thermostat. The Oven door must remain CLOSED during cooking.

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Advanced Oven Features

Cavity Cooling
The Oven has an advanced cavity cooling system. A cylindrical fan is mounted on the rear outside frame of the Oven. This fan assists the movement of air through the Oven cavity keeping it cool. In addition to reducing the temperature in the Oven cavity, the air is blown out around the Oven door handle which keeps the door handle cool. The cooling fan is activated when the Oven light or any cooking function is selected and will switch off after all Oven functions have been turned off.

Triple Reflective Door Glazing
Some Ovens have two levels of removable door glass. The two inner layers are removable and are made of a reflective glass which, in effect, reflects heat back into the Oven and results in a significant reduction in the outside door surface temperature. To clean the door glass, use a coin or large screwdriver to remove the screws. Wipe both sides of the inner, middle and outer glass. Wipe the sealing gasket. Don't forget to replace the rubber sealing gasket around the centre glass layer before replacing the glass. Ensure the narrow air gap lies between the inner and centre glass layers and the wider gap lies between the centre and outside glass layers. Tighten each screw gradually, one then the other until firm. Do not overtighten.

Wipe Clean Enamel (Extra Optional)
Some models have easyclean blue enamel paint throughout the internal cavity walls. Other models have baking trays and grill pans finished in the soft grey super tough "wipe clean" enamel. This enamel is less porous than conventional, so that food does not adhere as easily. Simply wipe clean with a soapy cloth or creme cleanser when cooking is finished. For baked on residue, use a smooth scraper or if necessary a non-caustic Oven cleaner.

Drop Down Grill Element (Extra Optional)
The removal of a single screw at the front of the upper grill element in some models allows the element to drop down so that cleaning of the roof of the Oven is made easy. On completion of cleaning, simply replace the grill element and secure with the screw, finger-tight.

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The Electronic Timer



Normal Baking

Function 3: Normal Oven baking using heat from both the upper element and concealed lower element.

To bake, place the Oven rack in the appropriate position according to the type of food to be cooked. Turn the Function Selector to Position 3 and the thermostat knob to the correct temperature, and allow the Oven to fully preheat for best results.

Ideal for cooking casseroles, soufflés, roast, meats, and other items which require a slow method of cooking.

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Fan Forced Baking

Function 4: Fan-forced central element cooking requires slightly different timing techniques than normal cooking. The fan draws the air in and over the central element which is positioned around the fan and then circulates it back around the Oven cavity. The even distributor of heat allows foods to rise and cook simultaneously regardless of shelf level. Lower cooking temperatures and in some cases less cooking time is another advantage of this feature.

Turn the Function Selector to Position 4 and turn the thermostat to the desired temperature. Pre heating takes much less time than a normal bake Oven.

Note: When cooking meats, for best results always preheat the Oven to ensure the meat surface is sealed to lock-in juices for a moist and tender result.

Fan forced cooking is ideal for multilevel cooking e.g.. patty cakes. Another advantage of fan forced cooking is that different types of food may be cooked simultaneously without mixing the aromas or flavours. When using the Oven in this way, ensure that all the foods require the same cooking temperature and check the finish times of each dish for best results.

Please note that fan-forced cooking is faster than conventional methods, so take care not to burn your food when you first start using this method.

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Grilling

Function 5 & 6: During grilling the door may remain closed or completely open.

This function offers the traditional grilling method necessary to achieve proper browning without overcooking the interior of the foods.

Position 5 activates the centre section of the upper grill element only, which is ideal for browning smaller portions or thinner cuts of meat.

Position 6 activates the entire upper element for the grilling of large quantities or thick cuts of meat.

Allow the griller to pre-heat for approx. 2 minutes before sliding the tray into position.

Place the grill tray into the roasting pan and arrange food according to the function you have selected, either in the centre of the tray or spread across the full width of the tray. Position the tray at the correct grilling level and turn the thermostat control to MAX for best results.

As the temperature is set to MAX you may need to adjust your grilling shelf height to suit the desired cooking result. If the tray is too close to the element, the food will be exposed to the full effect of the element and may burn and create smoke.