2.04 C ADJUSTING RECIPES

2.04 CADJUSTING RECIPES Increasing or Decreasing a Recipe Yield Changing Ingredients 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

The YIELD of a recipe tells how many people you can serve and how much each person will get. It may be necessary to increase or decrease a recipe’s yield in order to prepare the number of servings needed or to adjust the serving size. Increasing or Decreasing a Recipe Yield 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Increasing or Decreasing a Recipe Yield • If more, or larger, servings are needed than the recipe will yield, it is necessary to increase the amounts of ingredients used. • If less, or smaller, servings are needed, one can either decrease the amounts of ingredients used OR prepare the recipe as indicated and have leftovers. 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Increasing or Decreasing a Recipe Yield, contd. • When increasing or decreasing the yield and ingredients in recipes, it is usually necessary to make additional changes in: • Equipment size • Equipment shape • Cooking temperature • Cooking time 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Increasing or Decreasing a Recipe Yield, contd. • The steps for changing a yield are: 1. Divide the desired yield by the recipe’s original yield. The result is called the conversion factor. 2. Multiply all recipe ingredients by the conversion factor. 3. Convert the measurements into logical, manageable amounts. 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients • Recipe ingredients are often changed for reasons other than increasing or decreasing the yield. Reasons for changing ingredients are to: • Adjust for high-altitude cooking • Adjust for microwave cooking • Substitute ingredients 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. • Adjusting for high-altitude cooking: • As altitude increases, air pressure decreases and liquids will boil at a temperature below 212 ˚F. • When liquid boils below 212 ˚F., foods simmering in the liquid take longer to cook. They require more liquid (to replace that which evaporates) and longer cooking times. 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Adjusting for high-altitude cooking: • In baked goods, gas bubbles formed by the boiling liquid rise more quickly and cause the batter to rise before it “sets.” Without making adjustments to ingredients, the centers would collapse. • To prevent the centers of baked goods from collapsing, use less baking powder and sugar, and increase the oven temperature. 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. Adjusting for microwave cooking: • Decrease the liquid by 1/3 the total amount • Eliminate fats (both solid and liquid) unless they are used for flavoring • Use ½ of the seasonings • Use HIGH power level unless food is “delicate,” then use MEDIUM-HIGH power level • Decrease cooking time – look for a similar recipe in a cookbook designed for the microwave • Allow for standing time. 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. Adjusting for substitute ingredients: • Ingredients in recipes are often substituted. Some reasons for changing recipe ingredients include: • Unavailable ingredients • Cost of ingredients • Decreasing/increasing nutritional value • Creativity 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. • Some recipes are easier to adjust than others. Those with NON-ESSENTIAL ingredients are easily adjusted. Recipes with ESSENTIAL ingredients are really difficult to change • NON-ESSENTIAL ingredients are those that act independently of each other. • ESSENTIAL ingredients are those that have specific functions in a recipe and are so sensitive to changes that the appearance, taste, or texture of the product are affected 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. • Well-written cookbooks and the Internet are good sources for common ingredient substitutions. These ingredient substitutions can usually be made without any significant difference in the final product. 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. 2.04C Adjusting Recipes

2.04 C ADJUSTING RECIPES