Baking conditions for souffle cheesecake

[KA997]

Hi,

I want to bake one of those Japanese cotton/souffle cheesecakes in a convection microwave. I'm aware that a microwave isn't as good as a proper oven but I still wish to try.

My concern is the baking conditions on the recipe, 150 degrees Celsius for 70 mins would probably not be the same for my 25 liter convection microwave, which I assume has no fan.

Keeping in mind that there's also the water bath in this recipe which could alter the oven temperatures, what temperature should I use for how long ? My cake pan is around 8 inches at the base but around 10 inches on top.

Do i follow these temperatures or try something like 110, 120 for a longer duration?

Thanks

 

[Apocalypso]

I'm afraid I don't know anything about a convection microwave oven. I'm assuming you mean it has settings to use either the microwave cooking or a convection setting, not both at once? A convection oven should, by definition, have a fan to circulate the hot air, unless there's something unique about a convection microwave I'm not getting.

Generally if you're using a convection oven, you use a lower temperature setting. Mary Berry says generally 20 degrees Celsius lower than the temp called for without a fan. I don't think you necessarily plan for a longer duration, the temp adjustment should be compensating for the fact that the convection fan makes it bake faster. But check it for doneness. Usually with the Japanese cotton cheesecake, you'll want to bake it until the top is golden brown and the custard is just set. But you might also want to check it and just before it seems completely set, turn the oven off, and leave the cake in the hot oven with the door partly open, then fully open after a few minutes, allowing the temperature to come down gradually and prevent cracking or shrinking.

I hope it comes out well! Show us a photo when you've done if you can.

 

[KA997]

Thanks for the reply. Yes the microwave can cook with or without convection settings. I was unsure whether a fan is present or not which is why I asked that.

Thanks for the tips, I shall try it out and hopefully it cooks right.

 

[ChesterV]

In a microwave convection oven, it's the same effect, the only difference is that the heat comes from the food product being bombarded by the microwaves instead of from a heating element. And anything labeled "convection" is supposed to have a fan in it to circulate the heated air, as that is what a convection oven does.......evenly distribute heat by circulating the air inside the oven.

A convection microwave shouldn't need any temperature variances, as the heat comes from the item being heated by the microwaves, so the heat slowly builds up, the convection fan just keeps the air flowing.

In an oven with a heating element or gas, the fan is actually keeping the heat from the element or flames from "sitting" in one spot or heating in one area too long that it would bake faster or burn. In a microwave, convection really isn't something to worry about, as there is no other heat source that will burn or overbake the food. In a microwave, the whole thing is baked from inside out, not outside inward as in a regular oven. So, actually convection in a microwave is pretty much useless, or a "gimmick" to sell a microwave.

Now some microwaves DO have browning elements or broiling elements in them......if this is the case, then yes, a convection fan would be helpful.

 

[KA997]

Thanks for your reply ChesterV.

I baked the cake using the convection mode only and not microwave because the cake pans.

However the cake top starts to burn before it rises. What could be the reason for this?

 

[Apocalypso]

Is the heat only coming from the top? Sounds like that might be the case. It would rise from the steam rising inside the souffle and being partially trapped by the egg whites. So if your batter didn't deflate before baking, it seems like it maybe didn't get hot enough early on to build up that steam-rise. I don't know if that oven was able to be pre-heated. It's hard to say.

 

[KA997]

Yes the heating element is present on the top. While I did pre-heat it, I did that with the water bath so I do not know whether that made a difference. The top browned really quickly after 16 - 18 minutes in the oven.

 

[Apocalypso]

It may just be impossible to make this with the expected results without a regular oven. But was it edible?

 

[KA997]

Yes it was edible, though dense.