• Please make sure you follow these instructions fully. If you have any problems with carrying out this maintenance, please contact us.

    Check for specific details on your appliance in the user manual (particularly if you have a new oven or cooker), and also check food packaging for instructions but the steps below will give you general guidance if you feel your cooked food is not as expected.
  • 1. Grilling:
    • If your cooking is uneven front to back, make sure that the grill pan is positioned centrally below the grill element.
    • If fat is splattering when you are grilling food, make sure that the grill is not set to too high a setting.
  • 2. General baking:
    • If you experience uneven rising of cakes, make sure that the oven shelves are level by using a spirit level on the shelves and adjusting the wheels or feet. The oven should be checked both left to right and front to back. Also see the “Adjusting the feet” topic for further information on levelling your cooker or oven.
  • 3. Sinking of cakes

    If you find that your cakes are sinking, always check for the following possible causes:
    • Preheating of fan ovens.
    • Cooking at too high a temperature.
    • Using the normal creaming method with soft margarine (if you are using soft margarine, use the all-in-one method).
  • 4. Over or under cooking or your cooking is too fast or too slow:

    If your cooked items are either over or under cooking in the expected time, refer to the cooking times and temperatures given in your user manual and those which may be printed on food packaging. Sometimes, it may be necessary to increase or decrease temperatures by 10°C to suit personal taste. Aim to not use cooking pans or trays greater than 56mm (2¼ins) in height.
    Also see the “Temperature conversion chart” topics for further information on temperature settings.
  • 5.

    If you find that the cooking of cakes gives uneven results, check the points below:

    • A too large baking sheet may be being used. (see your user manual for recommended sizes).
    • You may be over loading your oven; always ensure that there are even air gaps around baking tins.
    • Baking may be going into pre-heated oven. (see your user manual for any specific instructions).
  • 6. Top Oven Baking:

    Always check your user manual for specific details, but cooking in the top oven may need particular attention to the guidance below:

    • Ensure the cooking position is central under the grill element to help prevent uneven cooking front to back.
    • Ensure that the shelf and the oven are level (see step 2 above) and that the food is positioned centrally in the oven to help prevent uneven rising of cakes.
    • Remember to reduce cooking temperatures by 10°C from standard recipes when using the top oven to help prevent overcooking.
    • If food is taking too long to cook, ensure that the cooking pan or tray used in the top oven is no larger than 300x225mm (12ins x 9ins).
    • To help avoid overloading the oven, only cook one item at a time.