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Recipes are typically designed as precise
formulas. Yet sometimes, you may want to double or triple the recipe to
increase its yield or halve it to decrease the yield. As a ground rules,
follow these basic guidelines when altering any recipes as required -
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When increasing the recipe, try to
multiply by an even number.
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When decreasing the recipe, try to
divide by also an even number.
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Increase or decrease measurements
proportionally. The one exception: salt and other seasonings, which
you should hold back on increasing proportionally. You can always
add more slat later if necessary.
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Look at the lowest common denominator.
Some recipes don't divide in half neatly. For instance, you don't
want to end up halving an egg.
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For clarity, rewrite the recipe with a
the changed amounts. Or, write the new amounts in the margin and
follow them religious.
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Timing can often change when altering
a recipe, so it's more important to focus on visual cues and/or
internal temperatures to determine doneness.
Doubling with Ease : Some foods
double up with very few complications. For example, if you want to make
an extra pound of pasta, simply increase the amount of cooking water. To
make twice the standard amount of rice, double the water and use a
wider, deeper pan. Other recipes are a bit more tricky. The additional
volume of food may mean that you'll need to add to the cooking time. For
instant, you may want to double a cookie recipe and place 2 baking
sheets in the oven when the recipe calls for 1 sheet. In this case, it's
beast to increase the total baking time slightly (and possibly reduce
the oven temperature by 25oF for more delicate cookies).
Also, place the sheets above and below on different oven racks, and
rotate the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.
To double a batch of food for sauteing,
it's easy enough to use a larger saute pan and increase the sauteing
time slightly. But be careful not to use a pan so large that it heats
unevenly on your burner. And if the amount of food will crowd the pan
that you're using, saute in batches instead. When doubling a recipe for
a saute, it's not necessary to add twice the amount of oil or butter to
the pan at the start. Begin with the amount specified for 1 batch, and
add more oil as needed.
The one caveat of doubling is this:
Avoid doubling recipes for eggs in the same pan. When making scrambled
eggs or omelets, for example, too many eggs in one pan will take too
long to cook and will turn rubbery. For the best results, cook the eggs
in batches.
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