an apparatus for controlling and adjusting heat output during the heating phase of a steam pressure cooking vessel . the steam pressure cooking vessel is heated by an electric heating element and the temperature inside the steam pressure cooking vessel is measured . the heating element is controlled by a control circuit and a program memory which operates in a simple way at various preset rapid cooking or vitamin preserving cooking temperatures as a function of the heating characteristics and controls the heat output so that the selected cooking temperature can be adjusted and maintained constant in the simplest possible way without overshooting .