Hello!  I am new to the Forum but an email subscriber for about a year.  I’m looking forward to being more active here as I delve deeper into my love of baking.

I like trying new recipes & techniques.  I see that many of you have found recipes, altered them, fixed them, etc.  and I was wondering what your process was.  Most of you are probably past the trial & error stage of your baking evolution, but I’m at the bottom of the ladder…

For instance - if you are trying something new, do you make the entire recipe the first time or can you get away with only making 1/2 as a test run to save ingredients?  Can you bake 1/2 the batter and then add something (ie: a little more of one ingredient) to see what the difference will be between the two.  I understand that you shouldn’t/can’t add more baking powder to a completed mix, but do you understand what I’m asking?

How did you work through your errors?  Did you try again in a few days or right after you discovered your disaster?  I feel like I’m wasting alot of good ingredients by making sub-par things.

Thank you for your insight - I hope to learn alot from this Forum in the future =)
Dena

Welcome, DenaRenee

I likely do not test/experiment as much as some here.  Note that I primary bake from Rose’s books because of their reliability.  With Rose’s cakes (TCB or RHC), I generally am not afraid to do a smaller size as a test.  Whether to bake whole or part, otherwise, depends on the ingredients and how easy it is to calculate for a different size pan.  No matter what I am baking, before testing / experimenting I check this forum to learn from other’s experiences.  Actually, I check this forum for anything I am making for the first time and sometimes on repeat efforts. 

There are some things I want to test with two methods/approaches side by side, but my schedule has not allowed that.  I keep saying I am going to keep a journal but have not.

I feel like it’s always good to make a recipe exactly as written (especially a Rose recipe), and then branch out from there. 

Small sizes are great, as long as you double-check quantities and make sure to use an appropriate pan size and a reduced baking time.

Have fun, can’t wait to see what you’re working on!

I never do a test run, although if I was commissioned to do something, then I probably would. Over time, your technique will improve from practice and experience. The more you bake from recipes, the more you will know right away if they “make sense.”. If you find you are wasting a lot of ingredients on failures, my advice would be to read through every recipe, beginning to end, before you start.  Have assembled all the ingredients At the proper temperature, and the correct size pans. Preheat the ove and have the oven racks set at the right level. All of this information should be stated clearly in the recipe. Follow the instructions exactly and your successes will outnumber your failures. Don’t worry about piping either! None of the recipes in RHC requires any special piping skills.

The one that I did a lot of trial and error is the French macaron…  now I can confidently say that I have mastered it andI am just ecstatic..

Ihave also done other ones.  Mostly cakes.