Hi,

I’ve recently moved to a new apartment where, instead of a regular oven, there is a microwave/convection combination oven.

I’ve been trying to use this oven on its convection setting to bake things like muffins, quiches, etc. I’ve noticed that the oven generally requires more time to bake things properly.

Yesterday I baked muffins. The recipe stated that they should bake for 20 minutes, but a toothpick still came out sticky after that time, and the muffins were pale-looking. I gave them an additional 10 minutes, and then took them out, but they were still not baked all the way.

Same thing with quiches. I have bake them for at least one and a half time that the recipe calls for.

Is this normal? Has anyone had a similar experience? Is this the way these combo microwave/convection ovens work?

Many thanks!

Kasia.

Kasia - 24 April 2012 10:03 AM

I’ve noticed that the oven generally requires more time to bake things properly.

It’s supposed to be the exact opposite.  You might verify the temperature with another thermometer.

I use to have a microwave-convection oven for years in addition to a regular oven. I loved it!

You are blessed that you have 2 appliances in one, probably to save on space and to give you the convenience of having a mircowave along with the convection oven.

The convection oven is what really cooks and distributes the heat all over. You will want to use the convection part of the oven alone for baking. The microwave part of it acts just like a microwave. The convection part of the oven will cook much faster than a regular oven because of the way the fans distribute the heat and IT IS ALSO WHAT BROWNS EVERYTHING. A microwave will not do that.

Don’t give up yet! Try different things using both the convection oven and the microwave. I generally did a 12-pound turkey, (unstuffed of course), in 1.5 hours and it turned out great.

You will find what works for you. But to be truthful with you, you will not want to use the microwave part of it to COOK your cake. It is NOT the same as baking it in the convection oven.

I hope this helps you. Happy baking!

Thank you for your reply.

I love the combination oven because of it’s convenience and flexibility.

In theory, you are right. I use the oven in convection-only mode for baking. Everywhere that I have looked, I see people writing that convection baking is faster than a traditional oven. This is why I get so frustrated with mine. If I follow a recipe to the letter, and bake muffins or a quiche for the exact time specified in the recipe, the result is just underdone! The muffins are pale, and a toothpick stuck inside comes out sticky, and quiches are not set. I end up having to bake for longer. I do not understand why. I shouldn’t have to. At this point I think I will have to buy a thermometer to check if my oven is working properly. Maybe the thermostat is faulty or something.

Kasia, most of the time when I bake I go by what I: see, smell, taste, and test.

I am a newbie here on the website in that I haven’t done anything professionally, but I do bake a lot at home for family and some for friends. Right now, am making cakes and pies, (both unbaked), to put into the freezer for a wedding picnic reception. Cakes will be just the 9” round or 8” square type, family size so I am looking for extra tips and ideas for icings, ect.

But what I will tell you is that it’s very possible that the person before you in your apartment may have never used your “oven” so to speak before you moved into it.

For example, my hubby and I when we were married 30 years ago, (I am 61 now), decided to have both of our folks over for dinner at the townhouse after the honeymoon, and then after dinner open up the rest of the wedding gifts which they bought with them.

Dinner was going to be simple: a baked chicken, some vegetables, salad, iced tea, coffee, and some type of light dessert. Well, I put the chicken into the oven, (unstuffed of course), at a decent time, say like 2.5 hours at the temperature called for. It browned nicely, and smelled good.

Finally, the folks arrived, the table was set, the veggies done, and I get the chicken out to serve it and cut into it and it is STILL RAW! OMGosh! 

My dad, being the smart man that he is, asks me if I know whether or not the oven has been calibrated? I said I don’t know. So he advises me to get an oven thermometer and check out the temp. I finally bought one the next day and placed it in the oven and turned up the heat and left it there for a good while. It was twenty-fives degrees off! Jeepers, creepers!

Then I asked my husband about the oven. Didn’t you ever use the oven? No. 

(A side note: my father-in-law would never eat chicken. It took me a while to figure out why.  )

We had to call a techie guy to come and calibrate the oven. Needless to say I didn’t do too much baking after that because we were in the process of moving to a single family dwelling. Hope the new home owner was able to enjoy baking with a newly calibrated oven! 

BTW, I noticed this thread was started back in April. Have you gotten the oven corrected by now?

The oven is still underbaking.

Thank you for the calibration idea, however. I will look into it.