AEG COMPETENCE 520B User manual

COMPETENCE 520 B
The multi-function build-in single oven
Instruction Book

Hello
Allow me to introduce myself: I am your new AEG cooking appU-
ance. From now on, I should like to make cooking and baking
more pleasurable for you. Not simply because ot my attractive ap¬
pearance, but also thanks to “intrinsic qualities”. I am economical
in terms of energy consumption, easy to operate, and simple to
care for. If you carefully read and follow my operating instructions
before first use, you are sure to experience a good deal of joy
when using me to cook, bake, roast, and grill your food.
You must read these instructions prior to using the appli¬
ance and retain them for future reference.
Printed on recycled paper.
AEG - putting words into action.

Contents
Safety instructions
For the installer 4
For the user . 4
Appliance description
Features 5
First use
Operating the controls 6
Switching on the electronic timer 6
Precleaning the oven 6
Operating the electronic timer 7-10
How to use the oven
General 11
How to use the cooking functions for the oven 11/12
Switching on and off 13
Baking 13-15
Roasting and stewing 16/17
Grilling 18/19
Specialised applications of the hot air oven
- Menu cooking 20
- Defrosting 21
- Bottling 22
Cleaning and care
Oven 23-27
Optional extras 28
What to do if... 29
Service 30

Safety instructions
The safety requirements oblige me to give the following instruc¬
tions:
When installing cooking appliances into kitchen furniture the en¬
closed installation instructions must be strictly adhered to.
- When you use me to prepare your food, my oven doors
and cooking plates become hot. Therefore keep small
children well away from me.
This especially applies when you are grilling or
pyrolytically cleaning my oven (where applicable).
- Overheated fat and cooking oil may ignite. Prepare foods re¬
quiring fat or oil (chips) only under constant supervision.
- Do not use me to heat your room.
- Take care when using small electrical appliances near the
cooker. Connection leads should not come in contact with hot
hobs/cooking zones or get trapped in the hot oven door.
- Do not line my oven base with aluminium foil or place any other
cooking utensil on my base, as this will trap heat resulting in
damage to my enamel interior. This invalidates my warranty.
- The vitreous enamel in your oven is very durable. However vit¬
reous enamel is adversely affected by fruit acids (rhubarb,
lemon, etc.) and tea which will discolour and dull the enamel.
The performance of the oven is not affected. To prevent spill¬
age of the above coming in contact with the enamel, place the
cooking container on a baking sheet.
- Do not place the grill/meat pan on the cooking plate to
make gravy. The direct heat will weaken the pan base result¬
ing in warping and twisting of the pan when next used as a
meat or grill pan.
- I comply with radio interference suppression specifications EN
55014 (previously EEC Directive 82/499) and as appropriate
with EN 60555 relating to the Retroactive Effect of the Mains
Supply.

Appliance description
A Cooking method selector
B Temperature selector
C Thermostat control light (red) is on when my oven is heating
D Pilot light (yellow) is on when the appliance is switched on.
E Electronic clock with minute minder and auto-timer
F Handle to open my oven door
M
§
I
1
5

First use
Operating
the control
knobs
Switching
on the
electronic
timer
Setting the
time of day
You should
also
be aware of the
following:
Pre-cleaning
the oven
My control knob (A) can be turned clockwise or anti-clockwise to
any position.
However, my oven temperature control knob (B) must be turned
clockwise to set and anti-clockwise to turn off.
As soon as I am connected to the mains supply (and also after a
power cut), the display in my electronic timer flashes 0.00
Only when you have set me to the correct time of day am I
ready to operate.
-F
6 hh -»i a 0
OOOO O
IF ]
A B C D E
- Press knob E [0] to release. (This does not apply to appliances
with an enamelled control panel).
- When finished with knob E (gjj press to retract. (This does not
apply to appliances with an enamelled control panel).
- Press buttons A QS] and B 0 at the same time, hold them in po¬
sition, and set the actual time of day by turning my knob E
m-
The time of day appears for you in display F.
- The red triangle above button D [J] far automatic operation
flashes. It is cancelled by pressing button D.
Only now is my oven ready to operate.
Before using my ovens for the first time, clean all accessories with
warm water and washing-up liquid. Then switch my oven either to
the conventional or the hot air cooking method and select the
highest temperature and leave the oven on for at least one hour
with the oven door closed.
During this period there is an unavoidable odour which is not
harmful to your health. We recommend that the room is well
ventilated for your convenience.
When my oven has cooled down, clean it with warm water and
washing-up liquid.

Operating the electronic timer
.88., SJB
0 i->i ->i i!) 0
QOOO £
Press button A |oJ, hold it in position and set the required time
with my knob E The duration appears in display F. The red
triangle above symbol @ is lit for the entire duration.
The time of day reappears in display F after release of button A.
To check the cooking time, press my button A [5§} t The remain¬
ing cooking time now appears in display F.
Setting
the minute
minder
When the selected time has elapsed you will hear an aud¬
ible signal which will switch off automatically after approx¬
imately 2 minutes. To switch this off manually press button
a a.
You should
also be aware
of the
following

My symbols
have
the following
meanings:
My electronic timer is designed to switch my main oven on and
off automatically.
(up to 23 hours 59 minutes)
0 Manual or automatic operation of the oven
0 Setting the cooking duration of the oven
0 Setting the end of the cooking duration
(up to 23 hours 59 minutes in advance)
[0] Rotary control for. time selections
S3 Indicator symbol, illuminated during time controlled
cooking

D n n n
»_ 1 U .\IU u
T *5 "l\ T
6 hM ->10 0
-Off? ?
-F
[63~~1
B C D E
- Select the cooking method and temperature as required.
- Press my button B 0, hold it depressed, and enter the re¬
quired duration with knob E 0, When my button B is re¬
leased, the time of day reappears in display F.
- The red triangles above the symbols @ and [§ show until the
duration has elapsed,
How to
programme
the oven to
switch off
automatically
My oven immeditately switches on and automatically off
after the elapsed duration.
At the end, an audible signal sounds for around two min¬
utes. You can prematurely cancel it by pressing my button
B 0 .
You should be
aware of the
following:
After time controlled cooking, set the cooking method se¬
lector and temperature control to the off position.
- The red triangle above button D g| flashes. It is can¬
celled by pressing my button D.
You can check on the remaining cooking duration and the
cooking end at any time during time controlled cooking by
pressing either my button B 0 or C 0.
If you want to cancel automatic operation, press my button B 0
and turn my knob E 0 until 0.00 appears in the display F. Then
press my button D [fl], Then set my cooking method selector to
the 0 and oven temperature control to the off position.
My oven is
ready to oper¬
ate manually
again
I

Automatic
switch-on
and -off of
my oven
Set my cooking method selector and temperature control as
required.
Press my button B 0, hold it depressed, and enter the re¬
quired duration with knob E [0], and then, by pressing my but¬
ton C Q, set the cooking end time.
When my buttons B 0 and C 0 are released, the time of day
reappears in display F.
The red triangles above the symbols 0, and g] show until the
duration has elapsed,
You should
also be
aware of the
following:
My oven switches on automatically at the correct time,
having deducted the cooking duration from the cooking
end. It then switches off automatically at the cooking
end.
At the end, an audible signal sounds for around two min¬
utes. You can prematurely cancel it by pressing my button
B 0 .
- The red triangle above button D [a] flashes. It is can¬
celled by pressing my button D.
My oven is
ready to oper¬
ate manually
again
You can check the remaining cooking duration and the cook¬
ing end at any time during time controlled cooking by pressing
either my button B 0 er C 0.
If you want to cancel automatic operation, press my button B @
and turn my knob E [0] until 0.00 appears in the display F. Then
press my button D g. Then set my cooking method selector to
the 0 and oven temperature control to the off position.
10

Oven
Before using for the first time, refer to the section describing pre- General
cleaning of the ovens.
My oven is a multi-function oven which features conventional
cooking with top and bottom heat, hot air cooking and two (three)
grilling options. For further details consult the relevant sections in
this booklet.
My different cooking options
■ Conventional electric cooking g
This method of cooking uniformly radiates heat from above
and below. You should however make sure that you only cook
on one level to ensure a uniform distribution of heat.
I Hot air cooking _
A fan ensures that hot air is continuously circulated around the
ovep. allowing you to cook, bake and roast at several levels si¬
multaneously. This cooking method also uses lower tempera¬
tures. This system saves you time and is highly energy effi¬
cient.
m
■ Rotitherm roasting/grilling
This cooking method combines the fan with the grill element, It
replaces the rotisserie in your oven and is an excellent method
of roasting/grilling meat and poultry on one level. It is also per¬
fect for “au gratin’’ dishes.
■ Grilling 1 T TT I
The grill element is used to grill foods such as steaks, chops,
sausages, fish, etc.
Iwrl
i Dual-circuit grill f‘* TT l (where featured)
To grill large quantities of food use my large grill area (t§. For
smaller quantities e. g., 4 slices of toast, use my smaller grill
area
Cooking
methods (for
main oven
in case of
double ovens)

Shelf levels
The shelf positions feature 6 (4) levels, the cooking tables sup¬
plied recommend the shelf position on which my oven will pro¬
duce best results.
Fat filter
The fat filter supplied protects my fan against soiling. It must al¬
ways be in place when:
- I am used as a Hot Air oven jj) and meat is cooked in uncov¬
ered containers (i. e. do not insert when baking!);
- During Rotitherm roasting/grilling (X] (on multi-function ovens
only).
How to insert my fat filter:
Hold the fat filter by the handle and insert the two tabs (see illus¬
trations) into the slots in the back panel of the oven thereby cover¬
ing the fan opening. The fat filter must cover the opening com¬
pletely.
Cleaning the fat filter.
The fat filter should be cleaned after every use. How to clean the
filter, see “Cleaning the fat filter" in this booklet.

Decide which cooking method you want to use and select the ap¬
propriate symbol on the cooking method selector, e. g,, (Xi for
Hot Air. Then select the required temperature with the tempera¬
ture control. The red thermostat light is on for as long as the oven
is pre-heating. The thermostat light cycles on and off during oper¬
ation, indicating heating periods.
When pre-heating my oven (see information in the relevant cook¬
ing charts) position food in the oven after the red thermostat light
has gone out for the first time. To utilise the residual heat in the
oven switch the oven off 5-10 minutes before the end of the
cooking time by returning both the cooking method selector and
the temperature control to the off positions.
■ Baking
Bakeware
Cakes are baked either in cake tins or alternatively on baking
sheets, full width baking sheets are available from AEG Spare
Parts as an optional extra.
How bakeware affects browning:
1. Bakeware, which is dark in colour, has a non-stick coating
or is made from aluminium is the best as heat is absorbed
and then transferred to the cake resulting in shorter cook¬
ing times, lower energy and better browning.
2. Bakeware which is light in colour or is made of tin reflect
the heat resulting in longer cooking times and poorer
browning. It is advisable not to use such bakeware when
using conventional top and bottom heat.
■ Baking on one level
Using the conventional method you can only bake on one
level at any one time. The shallower the cake, the higher you
should place it in my oven.
■ Baking times and temperatures
In many cases, it is not necessary to preheat me. The recom¬
mended temperatures and times given in the enclosed chart
are guidelines only. To suit personal taste it may be necessary
to make small adjustments.
Switching
on and off
With conven¬
tional top /
bottom heat
g
13

With
hot air
■ Recommendations
I recommend hot air cooking for all types of baking. However,
you may prefer cooked cheesecakes, all types of sponges,
bread and rich fruit cakes cooked by the conventional meth¬
od.
When you use my hot air cooking system I can cook on sever¬
al levels simultaneously. This saves time, is convenient and
energy efficient, I can also cook different cakes at the same
time for instance a Victoria Sandwich and a Bakewell Tart or a
Madeira Cake with a Dundee Cake. Simply make sure that the
cooking temperatures are roughly the same and that sufficient
space is left between the shelves to allow the air to circulate
freely.
If baking cakes with a high moisture content such as several
apple pies, it may be advisable to use only 2 shelves at the
same time to prevent too much steam forming in the
oven.
■ Baking times and temperatures
When baking with hot air it is often unnecessary to pre-heat
my oven. For exceptions see enclosed baking charts.
If you use my oven for batch baking, choose cakes which re¬
quire similar temperatures. Different cooking times can be
overcome by either placing cakes into the oven later or by re¬
moving them earlier.
The baking chart is provided as a quick reference to keep near
the oven.
When baking on more than one level the time given in the
cooking charts has to be extended by 10-20 minutes.
I
1
I
i

■ Baking on one or more levels
I
5
£
15

Roasting,
Rotitherm
roasting/
grilling
and stewing in
the main oven
Cooking method
■ Choose the most suitable cooking method from my various
options:
Conventional top/botton heat
m
a
m
Rotitherm roasting/grilling _
Where the attached cooking charts highlight shelf positions
and temperatures in bold my oven may give you the better re¬
sult when using this cooking method. However you may wish
to experiment and decide for yourself which cooking method
gives the best result.
A note to Rotitherm roasting/grilling as this is a relatively n<
method of cooking meat and poultry although spit roasting
which Rotitherm is replacing is not so new. Rotitherm is very
much more convenient to use than a spit and once you have
tried it you will be delighted with the results.
■ Recommendations
Wipe and weigh the meat. If stuffing is used, weigh the stuffed
joint to calculate the cooking time. Place the joint in a suitable
roasting dish, season with salt and pepper and brush lean
joints with melted fat.
When cooking pies, place dish on a baking sheet to avoid
spillage on to the floor of the oven.
Cooking
temperatures
and times
16
The times and temperatures given in the roasting chart pro¬
vide a guide when cooking meat. Some adjustments may be
necessary depending on the type of meat to be cooked.
Cooking times have been given for meat which is at room tem¬
perature.
Prime cuts can be cooked at higher temperatures than those
which require a longer cooking time to tenderise the meat. A
thick joint will require longer to cook through than a thinner
one.
A boned rolled joint will require a longer cooking time than one
with the bone left in as bone is a conductor of heat.
A small joint will require longer cooking time per 450 g (1 lb)
than a large one. Allow an extra 30 minutes cooking time for
joints up to and including 1.5 kg £3 lb).
If the joint is cooked in foil the temperature has to be increased
by 10 °C. To brown the joint, remove foil for the last 15 minutes
or so of the cooking time.
If cooking from frozen, place joint in a covered container and
extend the calculated cooking time by approximately one
third. To brown and crisp meat remove cover for the last 30
minutes of the cooking period.

Never use stainless steel ovenware in my oven, since it reflects
the heat. Meat, poultry, and fish should be cooked in ovenproof
dishes or in my meat pan for large quantities.
Choose a dish which is just a little larger than the joint itself. This
will contain any fat in a smaller area and reduce splashing. If you
wish to roast potatoes in the same dish around the joint rather
than in a separate one you need to make allowances for this
when selecting a suitable dish.
Never place cooking containers on the base of my oven, but on
the wire shelf which you should insert on the 4th or 5th level from
the top depending on the size of the food to be cooked.
When using the Rotitherm roasting/grilling method (where fea¬
tured) place the joint on the wire shelf 3rd and 4th from the top
(depending on size of roast) and slot the drip-pan into the 5th or
6th from the top to catch the juices. If you want to roast potatoes
in the dripping, allow approximately 1-1 Vi hours cooking time.
Turn the roast over halfway through cooking to ensure an all
round crisp and brown joint.
Ovenware
17

Inserting
the handle
Removing
the handle
Inserting/removing grill handle
Warning!
The handle must be removed whilst grilling. Failing to do
so will result in overheating of the handle. This may cause
damage leading to breakage of the handle.
Lock it into the grip at the front of the pan. See illustration.
Make sure that the handle is firmly attached to the pan!
Press the button on the handle. See illustration.
18

How to use the grill
Prime cuts of meat such as steaks and chops or fish weighing
less than 1 kg can either be fried or grilled. Salt large pieces short¬
ly before grilling and small ones just after grilling.
Turn meat/fish after half the grilling time so that both sides are uni¬
formly browned. Turn thin pieces once; thicker pieces need turn¬
ing more often.
On appliances with a dual circuit grill jw], you should set the grill to
grill symbol 3 for small amounts and to symbol § for larger
amounts.
Select the highest setting on the variable temperature selector to
seal the food and then turn down to a lower temperature. Position
the wire shelf with the projection facing upwards or downwards in
a shelf position of your choice depending on the thickness of the
food you wish to grill.
Place the grill pan on the wire shelf and remove the grill pan han¬
dle.
Where the appliance features a vapour vent, this must be open
during grilling.
B and §
The oven door is closed during grilling
There is no need to pre-heat my grill unless you prefer to do
Grill pan and wire shelf can be cleaned more easily if soaked in
the sink with water and washing-up liquid after grilling.
19

Menu
cooking
in my
main oven
My hot air oven is extremely versatile since you can cook a
complete meal in it. You can cook different foods at the same
time, such as fish and cakes, without any transfer of smell or
taste from one to the other.
When menu cooking try to choose foods which require similar
cooking temperatures.
When cooking meat in uncovered containers the fat filter
must be inserted.
When cooking pies or cakes at the same time as a roast you
can choose pies or cakes which normally cook at tempera¬
tures 20 °C lower than the roast. Temperature differences of
10 °C lower than the roast can be compensated by longer or
shorter cooking times.
Shelf positions are chosen according to the food being
cooked and in connection with the cooking guidelines in the
recipe book supplied.
Menu suggestion:
Ovenware:
Shelf positions:
Cooking method:
Meat Loaf
Potato Bake
Buttered Carrots
Fruity Bice Pudding
Oblong ovenproof dishes
Meat Loaf & Potato Bake
Side by side 3rd from top
Carrots and Fruity Rice Pudding
Side by side 5th from top
Hot Air
Temperature:
170-180°C
Time:
Approx. 60-75 minutes
Vapour vent:
(where featured)
Open unless you wish
to retain moisture in
the oven to prevent food
from drying out, such as
pheasants, etc.
20