Things you wish you could say

[Hayden Goseek]

Y'all have kinda talked around it but I learned from DW, cooking, once you get the hang of it is mostly by feel. Baking is an exact science with measurements, timers and temperatures.

 

[NatJ]

I actually think I prefer experimenting and trying my own combos even if they turn out horrible than strictly following a recipe. I do that too sometimes but it’s so much fun experimenting.

I like to start with a recipe, then change it.
At first, I would make the recipe correctly (often more than once) before I started changing it. With time, I've gotten so I can usually modify a recipe the first time I make it.
Changes pile up over time, so sometimes I have a "recipe" that no longer looks much like the original.

I do the same thing with sewing patterns, and many other kinds of crafts too. The better I understand what I'm doing, the more easily I can make changes that work, so the more drastic changes I can make without problems.

It helps to know how " big" certain measurements are, by eye or feel. Like, a cup is about as big as your fist. Half a tsp is about as big as the end of your index finger...Then you don't need literal measuring spoons and cups in many cases, but you are still measuring...Saves on clean-up, too!

I also save on clean-up by keeping a 1 cup measure in the flour container. That worked so well I expanded it, so by now I've got quite a few measuring cups & spoons that hang out in certain containers rather than getting washed and put away after each use: 1 cup in the flour, 1/2 cup in the oatmeal, 1/4 cup in the sugar, 1 Tablespoon in the yeast, 1 teaspoon in the baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon in the salt.

(At some point, I had to go buy another set of measuring cups to make this work, so now I've got a set in the drawer and a set in the canisters.)

I learned from DW cooking, once you get the hang of it is mostly by feel. Baking is an exact science with measurements, timers and temperatures.

I see your point, but some of my baking isn't very exact either.

When I make bread, I add flour until it "feels right" and bake it until it "looks done." Sometimes it's pale and soft, sometimes brown and crunchy, but it always tastes fine. The same bread recipe also makes loaves, rolls, breadsticks, flatbread, or pizza crust, depending on my mood. Most of them get baked, but the flatbread can also be fried in a pan on the stovetop. My bread recipe is very forgiving

I've also made changes like Zucchini Bread into Pumpkin Spice cake (canned pumpkin instead of shredded zucchini, and a cake pan instead of a bread pan so it will bake faster. It's done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, no matter what shape or how many minutes are involved.)

 

[Painted Calls]

I like to start with a recipe, then change it.
At first, I would make the recipe correctly (often more than once) before I started changing it. With time, I've gotten so I can usually modify a recipe the first time I make it.
Changes pile up over time, so sometimes I have a "recipe" that no longer looks much like the original.

I see your point, but some of my baking isn't very exact either.

When I make bread, I add flour until it "feels right"

I do all this too!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Speaking peanut butter. I know I have eluded to this at least a year or so ago - somewhere (DM chat or one of the party theads) about my experiment with bread with peanut butter on it being put in the toaster oven…. The PB “melts.”

Do you remember what one ingredient I discovered will hold the PB from melting?

Do you recall the ratio of it with PB?

I’ve been playing with the ratio and found that there is a minimum level to hold the Peanut butter “together” when heated.

To give a Nod to @BigBlueHen53
I can say that it’s between 1/8 & 1/4 in the ratio of quantity to that of what ever Peanut Butter you use.

Fluff!?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I like to start with a recipe, then change it.
At first, I would make the recipe correctly (often more than once) before I started changing it. With time, I've gotten so I can usually modify a recipe the first time I make it.
Changes pile up over time, so sometimes I have a "recipe" that no longer looks much like the original.

I do the same thing with sewing patterns, and many other kinds of crafts too. The better I understand what I'm doing, the more easily I can make changes that work, so the more drastic changes I can make without problems.


I also save on clean-up by keeping a 1 cup measure in the flour container. That worked so well I expanded it, so by now I've got quite a few measuring cups & spoons that hang out in certain containers rather than getting washed and put away after each use: 1 cup in the flour, 1/2 cup in the oatmeal, 1/4 cup in the sugar, 1 Tablespoon in the yeast, 1 teaspoon in the baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon in the salt.

(At some point, I had to go buy another set of measuring cups to make this work, so now I've got a set in the drawer and a set in the cannisters.)


I see your point, but some of my baking isn't very exact either.

When I make bread, I add flour until it "feels right" and bake it until it "looks done." Sometimes it's pale and soft, sometimes brown and crunchy, but it always tastes fine. The same bread recipe also makes loaves, rolls, breadsticks, flatbread, or pizza crust, depending on my mood. Most of them get baked, but the flatbread can also be fried in a pan on the stovetop. My bread recipe is very forgiving

I've also made changes like Zucchini Bread into Pumpkin Spice cake (canned pumpkin instead of shredded zucchini, and a cake pan instead of a bread pan so it will bake faster. It's done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, no matter what shape or how many minutes are involved.)

That sounds amazing!! I’m usually too nervous to modify recipes

I do all this too!

We need like a cooking class thread or something

 

[Ascholten]

You MEASURE?

When the teacher is watching, you BETTER !!

 

[Ascholten]

I have a Salsa Bread recipe that's been going on 22 years now of modifications. I have the base recipe written down with a ton of scratch in's and scratch out's, each time I make it, it's like, ok lets try a little of THIS and see how it tastes. If it's good, it stays if it's ehh, it gets scratched, but you'd kill for this bread that is ONE thing that did stick around !

Aaron

Edit: Next time I try it, because of the Maply component it can add, I am going to experiment with a little ground fenugreek seed in it. just hope it don't turn it into curry bread, not necessarily a bad thing but not for breakfast

 

[sourland]

But I’ll stop rambling now.

Highly unlikely.

 

[azurbanclucker]

This drives me and my dad nuts. He loves cooking and I hate it because nothing is very exact. I love baking mixes thoigh because i cant ness them up

Make a note to never cook with me then. I definitely measure and cook by instinct.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Highly unlikely.

touché!