Baking in Microwave Convection Oven

OTG vs Microwave Convection is a topic that has been widely discussed. I have used both. And even though it took me a few burnt cakes to get the settings right, I like my convection microwave oven more. I think it can be a very efficient choice for your kitchen. Most of us have tiny kitchens. In such cases, having a separate oven for baking and a separate one for microwaving makes no sense. Convection ovens are handy and make almost anything albeit they are more expensive than regular microwaves. (Click here to read about different types of ovens)

A convection microwave is a combination of a standard microwave oven and a convection oven. It allows food cooked in the convection microwave to be cooked quickly, yet come out browned or crisped as in a convection oven. For example, a convection microwave oven can be preheated to bake cakes, which is not possible with standard microwave ovens.

I have an Onida Black Beauty Convection Oven. But I'm sure the principles of baking are the same in all convection microwave ovens. Any questions, just leave a comment. I shall try to answer as correctly as possible! [Disclaimer: I'm not claiming to be an expert!] ;-)

I've tried to demystify some of the questions and doubts involved with baking in a convection microwave oven. There are of course so many other functions your could try, but in this post, I'm sticking to Baking. (I'll probably do another one on other functions like defrosting, cooking, grilling etc)
- Are goodies baked in OTG are better than the ones baked in Convection?
~ FALSE! I have actually found cakes baked in my Convection M/W to be great! (provided everything that went into the batter was right) I did however have to play around with the temperature and timing to get that perfectly baked cake. Personally, I've had to bake cakes at a lower temperature than when I baked them in OTG so as to not burn the top. So, if you follow the recipe and use good quality ingredients and set the temperature and time right, there really wouldn't be much of a difference.

- Can we use MW safe plastic pans that come with the Microwave in Convection Mode?
 ~ Absolutely NOT. Those are specifically meant for Microwaving and you must never use it in the Convection or Grill mode.... unless you want your cups/pans to melt/burn of course! :P

- What pans are ideal to use in the Convection Mode?
~ You can use any aluminium or metal pans. In fact, even some good quality non-stick bake-ware is acceptable. I have my eyes on this amazing set of bake-ware on Amazon! I also know many who use oven proof borosilicate glassware (like borosil, pyrex etc) for their baking. Basically, you can use any pan you would use in your normal oven. Silicon Molds would be okay too.

- Why does the top of cake/brownies burn even though I follow the temperature given in the recipe?
~ Many a time, the oven temperatures may vary, causing uneven browning or burning of the baked goodies. In my experience, I reduce the temperature by almost 10-20 degrees than the recipe temperature and let it cook for a while longer. Also, you could try covering the top of the cake pan with some baking paper. The 'covering the tin' bit has worked wonders for my cakes. (but you can do this only if you're sure that the batter won't rise above the cake tin. Ideally, covering is advisable if the batter in the cake tin is only half filled)

- Should I cover the top of the pan with aluminium foil / butter paper/ parchment paper to prevent burning the top?
~ I think it is a good idea. Some are of the opinion that there's a risk of burning if you use aluminium foil to cover the pan/tin. I've not really faced such a problem. But you can easily (& without any fear) use butter paper or parchment paper to cover the tin that will prevent your cake from browning too much! :-) You could do that by sealing the parchment paper over the edges with some butter.

- Is it necessary to turn the pan occasionally for even cooking?
~ One of the advantages of a MW Convection Oven is - the baking tin keeps rotating to ensure even cooking. And hence, there is no need to rotate or meddle with the food in between.

- How long does it take to cook/bake in MW Convection?
~ Obviously the timing varies depending upon what model of the oven you have, what you are baking, how much are you baking etc. But I've noticed that baking in convection takes lesser time than what the recipe calls for. So for example, if the recipe says bake for 30 minutes, keep an eye out after the 25th minute.

- Tips on how to bake in the convection mode?
 ~ 1) Setting the temperature : You'll have to refer to the manufacturer's instructions. But generally, you've got to select the convection mode and adjust the temperature according to the recipe. (watch out for Celsius or Fahrenheit)
    2) Preheating the oven : This usually takes less than 5 minutes. All you have to do is set your temperature & press start. There's no need of setting a time. Once it reaches the desired temperature, the oven beeps and is ready to start baking.
    3) Resting Time : Once the time is up, it is advisable to rest the cake in the oven for a minute or so and then take it out. Even when it is resting, it is cooking. Otherwise, you're going to end up with mush!

- Some do's & don'ts..
~ Ideally, you should NOT use your Convection Oven for any other purpose (microwaving, grilling, etc) immediately after a baking session. The oven gets really hot and needs some rest; for at least 30 minutes.
~ Keep the inside of the oven clean. Wipe it after every baking session.
~ Having an oven with a stainless steel interior is always better than a black interior. (Tip by: Radhi)
~ Invest in a good set of bake-ware
~ Follow the recipe to the *T* and hope for the best!
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Sources: Wikipedia, Ehow, About, Onida Manual, Experience :D