Baking in Japan (+ microwave ovens)

Hello,
I have been asked to demonstrate some English food, especially Yorkshire Puddings and Christmas Mince Pies.
Does anyone have any advice for baking in Japan (especially regarding the ingredients and the lack of decent ovens).
Is it possible to cook the above using a microwave oven? If so any tips?
Thanks in advance!

Many microwave ovens in Japan also bake and broil. There are also small table top ovens.

You couldn't use a microwave to make either of those (yorkshire puddings would be a pale, soggy mess), but most Japanese kitchens have a multi-purpose microwave/grill/oven which should be OK on the oven setting - you just can't make large quantities at once. Ingredients are no problem for yorkshire puddings (milk, eggs, plain flour, salt), and you need to make sure the oven gets really hot. For mince pies, the shortcrust pastry is easy enough, but depending on where you are in Japan, finding jars of mincemeat may be a problem - unless you are planning to make it yourself? Places I have found jars of Robinson's mincemeat in the past are Seijo Ishii supermarket, Meidi-ya, and National Azabu. If you're not in Tokyo, you could also try the Foreign Buyers Club online.

Where would you be cooking? Typically, people rent a room at a community center or the like for a few hundred yen, and there will be ovens there. Ask the city hall or the organizer for more details on community centers.

Thanks for the help.
I have a microwave oven at home, but I've been asked to teach cooking at an elementary school which only seems to have 2 small toaster ovens and a microwave oven.

Maybe a weird question but are there any particular types of baking trays I need to use? (Recalling the difficulties I had figuring out that I needed a particular type of IH pan to work with my hotplate)

You should talk to the teacher or the person in charge and take a look at the kitchen in advance.

As mentioned, instructions differ depending on the (microwave) oven. And yes, usually there is a different tray for each recipe, so be sure you use the right one. Explain the procedure and usually the homemaking (kateika) teacher should know what to do.

Btw, while I do love Yorkshire pudding, I wonder how Japanese elementary school children or their parents would respond to that sort of taste...

Rich,

Sorry to chip in, but I would agree with Uco that most people (not just Japanese) would be distinctly unimpressed by Yorkshire pudding unless you have roast beef and plenty of gravy to go with it.
Given the target agegroup and rather basic cooking facilities it sounds like you will be using, I can't help thinking that maybe something like mini portions of beans on toast would be more appropriate. Cooking mince pies in toaster ovens could be quite a challenge - unless you buy ready-made pies (not cheap in Japan) and just heat them up.

Well, I thought that if you arrange the shape and size of the pie(s), it might work. On the other hand, I thought that things like stew and English trifles or toffee would be more ideal for Japanese kids and moms.

Also, I realised that even if you managed to demonstrate it at the school kitchen, it wouldn't be worth while unless the participants are able to do it by themselves at home with the tools and ingredients they have.

I belive those type of foods would be to much for little kids . I also think makeing these things and seeing the kids dident like it would make you feel like youv done everything for noting.

I think also that you should see if can make things at home or a friends . Then you can finish or re warm the items when you arive at the school . Like the pies cook them then re heat ect...

This is just my tip but these are things I usely have for a holidays that I think would make the kids very happy & be easyer to make .

1.Home Made suger cookies , they can frost them selfs or you can . With out Cuter's its easy to do snow men and Snow flakes by hand.

2.Corn Breed stuffing , easy many diffrent ways to make a stuffing and stuffing with out corn bread . You dont need to stuff it in a tukey it can be cooked in a oven .

3.Mash potatoes / Gravie .

4.Cranberry Sauce .

5.Carrot soup .

6.Fruit salads , mix together add whipen cream an some drop of 3 to 4 drops of your choice red or green food coloring . This ones easy because you dont have to make it with any heat.

7. Id see if you can use somewere else to cook make Ham , Turkey or beef any would have to be the best Holiday dinner

8. Stew would also be a good choice for kids .

Those are just a few ideas . Iv only been to japan once so I hope this helps :) Good Luck and hope the kids love it :)

Proper ovens are pretty much unknown here in Japan. I get frustrated trying to use the the electric griller gadgets. You can get breadmaker machines here and these are fantastic but I don't know if you can make Yorkshire pud in one. How about making a microwave cake or a sponge desert with custard?

Jon, as other posters have noted there are microwave ovens in Japan that can also bake or broil (with the microwave function turned off). These ovens are sold all over the place, in Yodobashi cameras for example. Some of the latest models even have a steam cooking function. These multi-functions ovens have been made since the mid-1980s and are also found all over Europe. and