Classic Pyrex Bowls

Imagine yourself as your reader — a novice cook who finds an appealing recipe for trifle in a popular magazine. It serves the number of people you are having for a dinner party. It’s perfect for your dessert. You think.

However, when you make it, there isn’t nearly enough custard to cover the cake like in the picture, and somehow it doesn’t have the flavour you anticipate. Naturally, you think you’ve done something wrong and doubt your ability.

While an experienced cook, like my assistant and friend (who actually had this experience), would know how to adjust the recipe so the trifle wasn’t a complete disaster and waste of ingredients, the inexperience cook is at the mercy of the recipe.

Writing correct recipes is hard work and testing them well is essential. When a recipe is published and put into the hands of someone who will prepare it, the procedure is like teacher to student. When a cook follows clear instructions carefully, even a novice cook can get perfect results.

Creating interesting flavour combinations with new ingredients is exciting, but let’s have them work.

Experienced cooks take a lot for granted and relaying this information can’t always be done by memory. Here are four simple tips for testing to perfection:

• Write out the recipe as completely as possible and have the worksheet in front of you as you proceed, making notes and corrections in red.
• Always test a complete recipe, not just a portion of it.
• Use a timer at each stage of cooking, beating, etc. instead of relying on memory or guesswork.
• Have others help check for taste and texture if possible.

With a little care and attention, your recipes will produce solid results and you’ll earn the trust of your readers.

Photo © House of Sims. Published under a Creative Commons License.