I can follow a recipe. I'm good at doing what I'm told and I very rarely stray from given instruction. Why, then, do some recipes just not turn out? I'm telling you, it's not me! It's got to be the recipe. There are so many recipes churned out these days with all the magazines, books, TV shows... they can't test them all and double check ingredients, amounts and methods. Surely.
Even Nigella (yes, even Nigella, she's human after all) has admitted to making mistakes in her books. BIG mistakes and LOTS of them. If you're a bit unsure in the kitchen, your confidence won't be boosted by trying these recipes (these corrections to published recipes have been taken from Nigella's website):
1. 'Birthday Cake', from Nigella's How to Eat.
'This cake requires 'condensed milk', rather than 'evaporated milk'.'
What? That's so much more than a typo. It would positively change the whole consistency of the cake. Not your fault, it's Nigella's (sorry Nigella).
2. 'Chocolate Mousse Cake', from Nigella's How To Be A Domestic Goddess.
'Only the egg yolks should be beaten with the sugar- the whites are used later.'
Now that's really going to confuse things.
3. 'Pizza Cassarecia', from the same book as above.
'The recipe should suggest 3 teaspoons if using fresh yeast - not tablespoons.'
Who proof reads these books? What?!
4. 'Noodle Soup For Needy People' from Nigella's Nigella Express.
'The ingredients list has '750g sugar-snap peas' which should read '75g sugar snap-peas'.
It just doesn't make sense.
When Nigella gets back to me re lychee acknowledgment, I'll ask her for a job.
I'll also have a chat to Donna Hay about thinking all the ingredients for a butter cake can be banged into a food processor and whizzed. It comes out SOOOOOO much better when the butter and sugar are creamed first, etc. I've modified my book to make sure I don't forget this:
If I don't have time to do it this way, I make something else.
Belinda Jeffery perhaps needs a memo about her recent contribution to delicious. magazine. I'd have to let her know that the Muhallabia 'exotic pudding' doesn't actually look as light and creamy when made according to the recipe.
Beautiful photo... but, oh, no. It looks like this:
With the consistency of gluey, cold, thick porridge. The crowd was definitely NOT pleased. Luckily I had some back up icecream and maple syrup that we ate with strawberries and a cardamom and pistachio shortbread.
As a bad tradesman blames his tools... you know.
