You're standing in the kitchen, staring at a recipe from a European blog or perhaps an old family cookbook from overseas. It calls for the oven to be set at 175 degrees. You look at your American range, and your brain stalls. You know it’s not just a simple "double it and add thirty" situation, though that’s the lazy math many of us try to use when we’re in a rush. Honestly, getting 175 c in f exactly right is the difference between a moist sponge cake and a dry, crumbly mess that stays in the pan.
The conversion is specific. $175^\circ\text{C}$ is exactly $347^\circ\text{F}$.
Most people just round up to 350. Is that a crime? Not really. But if you’re working with delicate patisserie or high-moisture proteins, those three degrees actually change the rate of evaporation and the Maillard reaction. It's about chemistry, not just heat.
The Math Behind the Heat
Let’s get the technical part out of the way. To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, you take the Celsius number, multiply it by nine-fifths (or 1.8), and then add 32.
For our specific number, it looks like this:
👉 See also: Girlfriend in High Heels: The Physics and Etiquette of Making it Work
$$175 \times 1.8 = 315$$
$$315 + 32 = 347$$
It’s a weirdly specific number. In a professional kitchen, a chef might call this a "moderate" oven. It’s the sweet spot. It is hot enough to create steam and lift, but gentle enough that the outside of your food doesn't carbonize before the middle is cooked through. If you’ve ever wondered why your muffins have a "peaked" top that’s burnt while the inside is raw, you probably had your oven too high. 175 degrees Celsius is the antidote to that frustration.
Why 175 c in f is the "Goldilocks" Zone
Think about the 350-degree Fahrenheit standard. It’s the universal setting for almost everything in American cooking. However, when a recipe specifically calls for 175 c in f, the author is often nudging you toward a slightly gentler bake.
Take a classic Victoria Sponge. If you blast it at 190°C (375°F), it develops a thick, dark crust. But at 175°C, the sugar caramelizes slowly. The protein in the eggs sets with a soft, supple texture rather than becoming rubbery. It’s about control. You’re trading a few extra minutes of bake time for a significantly better mouthfeel.
I’ve seen home cooks get frustrated because their "convection" oven ruins their 175°C recipes. Here is a nuance most manuals bury in page 40: if you have a fan-forced (convection) oven, 175°C is actually too hot. You usually need to drop the temperature by about 20 degrees Celsius. So, if the recipe says 175°C and you turn on the fan, you should actually set your dial to 155°C.
The Maillard Reaction and Sugar
Sugar is a fickle beast. At 175°C (347°F), you are sitting right at the edge of serious caramelization.
The Maillard reaction—that glorious chemical dance between amino acids and reducing sugars—kicks into high gear above 140°C (285°F). By the time you hit 175°C, you’re maximizing flavor without hitting the "acrid" stage. This is why roasted vegetables like carrots or parsnips shine at this temperature. The natural sugars inside the vegetable move to the surface and transform into a brown, savory coating.
Wait.
There’s a common misconception that "hotter is faster." Sure, if you're boiling water. But in an oven, heat moves from the outside in. If the delta—the difference between the oven air and the internal temperature of the food—is too high, the exterior dries out into a literal husk. 175°C provides enough energy to move moisture out of the surface (creating crispness) without slamming the door on the heat transfer to the center.
Meat, Poultry, and the 175-Degree Rule
While we often talk about baking, 175°C is a powerhouse for roasting meat.
If you’re doing a chicken, 175°C is a bit "low and slow" compared to the high-heat method (200°C+). But here’s the trade-off: at 175°C, the fat under the skin has more time to render and baste the meat. The result? Juicier breast meat. You might not get that glass-shattering skin you get at higher heats, but you won't need a gallon of gravy to swallow the bird either.
It’s also the go-to for meatloaf or terrines. Since these are dense, they need a steady, moderate environment to reach an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F) safely.
Real-World Calibration Issues
Most home ovens are liars.
Seriously. You set your dial to 350°F because you want that 175 c in f equivalent, but your oven might actually be hovering at 335°F or spiking to 370°F. This is due to the way thermostats cycle on and off.
If you are serious about your results, buy a cheap oven thermometer. Hang it on the center rack. You might be shocked to find that to achieve a true 175°C, you have to set your specific oven to 360°F or maybe 340°F. Every appliance has its own "personality," which is really just a polite way of saying it’s imprecise.
I once worked with an old gas range that ran 25 degrees cold on the left side. No amount of recipe tweaking can fix a mechanical failure like that. You have to know your tools.
Surprising Uses for 175 Degrees Celsius
- Toasting Nuts: 10 minutes at 175°C brings out the oils in walnuts or pecans without the bitter "burnt" aftertaste.
- Granola: It’s high enough to crisp the oats but low enough that the honey or maple syrup doesn't smoke.
- Shrink Siding/Plastic Crafts: (The non-culinary side!) Many hobbyist plastics have a glass transition temperature that responds well to this range, though always check the specific material safety data sheet.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest mistake? Opening the door.
Every time you peek to see if your 175°C masterpiece is done, you lose about 25 degrees of ambient heat. In a standard 30-inch home range, it can take several minutes to recover that lost energy. If you do this repeatedly, your "175-degree bake" is actually a "150-degree bake," leading to a collapsed cake or soggy bottom.
🔗 Read more: Why November Wallpaper for Desktop Still Matters More Than You Think
Also, don't confuse 175°C with 175°F. That sounds like a "no-brainer," but in the heat of a busy kitchen, it happens. 175°F is the temperature of a hot cup of coffee or a very low "keep warm" setting. It won't cook your food; it’ll just grow bacteria.
Practical Steps for Your Next Project
If you are looking at a recipe calling for 175°C right now, don't just wing it.
- Check your oven type. If it’s convection (fan), drop the target to 155°C (approx 310°F).
- Preheat longer than you think. Most ovens "beep" when the air hits the target, but the walls of the oven aren't saturated with heat yet. Give it an extra 10 minutes.
- Use the middle rack. This ensures the most even distribution of the 175°C air around your dish.
- Aim for 347°F. If your digital display allows for single-degree increments, use them. If not, 350°F is usually "close enough," but keep a closer eye on the browning starting at the 75% mark of the cooking time.
Mastering this specific temperature point is a hallmark of moving from a "recipe follower" to a "cook." It shows you understand that heat is a tool, not just a setting. Whether it's a batch of brownies or a tray of roasted root vegetables, 175°C is the quiet workhorse of the culinary world.
Actionable Insight:
Invest in an independent oven thermometer today. Place it in the center of your oven and set your dial to 350°F (the closest common setting to 175°C). After 20 minutes, compare the thermometer reading to the dial. Use this "offset" for every future recipe to ensure your conversions are actually accurate in practice, not just in theory.