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Double Like the Professionals
Jared,
I don't know why, but I have several cookbooks. In some of the recipes it states right in the book, that if you double the recipe, you don't neccessarily double certain ingredients. One example is - if the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking powder, it says if you double the recipe, do not add 2 teaspoon of baking powder - use 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. I have found in one new cookbook I have- it does the same thing on some recipes.
I did not say it is wrong- my question is WHY or WHAT is the reasoning behind not just doubling everything. I guess it is a general question about cooking and why the whole recipe is not exactly doubled when you double it? Does that make sense?
Thank you,
Dottie
Hi Dottie,
I understand your question. Though most recipes will work by doubling the leavening ingredients, you may find they have an added "baking powder/soda" taste that is unappealing. So less is more and will save you money.
In professional kitchens, recipe ingredients are changed to their metric equivalents before being enlarged or reduced. Conversion charts and formulas are used to ensure the correct ratios of leavening. This is particularly important in recipes for cakes, breads, and other baked items in which correct ratios are critical for success.
When leavening ingredients are doubled by the teaspoon instead of converted to ounces and then doubled, it is easy to get the ratio off simply because the doubled actual weight is less than doubled teaspoons. Thus, your baked product may come out less satisfactory than desired.
In many of the recipes I've transposed, it would have worked to simply double the recipe. In home-size cooking, it probably won't be that big of a deal. You'll be the only one to notice the extra "soda" taste because you'll be looking for it.
In huge kitchens, however, where recipes are converted to serve 25-100, you should always convert the recipes to the Metric system before increasing to ensure peace of mind in the end result.
Hope this helps,
Desi @ DVO
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