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Baking and Pastry Arts: Recipe Websites

Recipe Websites

When you're baking, it is easy to search for a recipe name and just take the first one that pops up. But you need to look at several recipes to assess the basics of the recipe, the steps, and triangulate which would be the best one for what you are doing. After all, if you need to bake 200 cookies, it's probably not a good idea to use a recipe that has a step where you need to decorate each cookie individually!

As an example, compare these three recipes for Brown Butter Pecan Cookies. What do you like about them? What do you dislike? How easy is it to follow? What ingredients do they call for?

Foodtasia Browned Butter Pecan Cookies

Sue Bee Homemaker Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Baker By Nature Butter Pecan Cookies

 

The Base

Recipes might differ in specifics but you should know the basics of the recipe you are searching for. For example, all cookie recipes are going to have the same base list of ingredients:

Flour (regular or gluten free)
Baking Soda or baking powder
Salt
Eggs (or vegan substitute)
White Sugar
Brown Sugar
Butter (or vegan substitute)
Vanilla

There might be differences in the ratios but double check the basics ARE listed. If they are missing any or if the ratios are dramatically different from what you have learned or seen, chances are it's not worth trying the recipe.

The Add Ins

What appeals to you about a recipe or a cooking website? It could be that the person who made it added pictures of each step so you know what consistency or color you need to look for. Maybe they add in some food dye for fun colors. Or they remind you that adding in sprinkles or candies can dramatically change cooking time and consistency. Maybe they have the option to scale recipes for lesser or greater yields.

Until you assess different food websites and blogs, it's hard to know what works for you and your style. Some people can't stand having to go past a blogger's life story (even with a jump to recipe button!). Other may appreciate detailed notes and tricks that go along with the individual steps. So look at a lot of sites, and try following them if you can. Figure out what works for YOU.

Professionals vs Food Blogs

If you are on a cooking website and you had heard of it prior to going to school, chances are they are a reliable source for a good recipe! Food Network, Southern Living, America's Test Kitchen: these could be compared to the top newspapers in the world (reliable sources with years of accreditation behind them). Even brand specific sites like Betty Crocker, King Arthur Flour, Nestle, Hershey's, can be great sources for recipes and places to start your journey.

HOWEVER

They are also not the end all, be all, of cooking and baking websites. Just as not all food blogs work for your style, so too do not all professional food websites! It may not be as detailed about steps or consistency as you need and then you end up with an okay mess of a dish instead on a delicious one (like my attempt to make a pumpkin and pasta dish from Martha Stewart recently).

So like other food blogs, assess the professionals work. What are their ingredients and ratios? What are their steps, tips, and tricks?