How to write a recipe

Good Food Blog

What is RSS?

Posted at 12:02PM, 01 February 2012 by Natalie Hardwick - Web assistant, bbcgoodfood.com

Want to put your favourite recipe down on paper? Our kitchen team of cookery experts have shared some of their best hints and tips for the creative process.

Whether you're writing a recipe for a clippings folder, your friends or a publication, the process requires a deft and precise touch. A poorly written guide can result in wasted time, money and effort, not to mention a disappointed gaggle of hungry mouths and a touch of kitchen rage. It's something we take very seriously at BBC Good Food, which is why we triple test our recipes. It's also why our kitchen team have revealed some of their secret writing tips.

Ingredients

The starting point of all recipes is a table of ingredients. Our cookery assistant Cassie Best says that whatever time of year, seasonality is the key for achieving the most flavoursome results. She says: "When thinking of recipe ideas I tend to start with what's in season, then from this I'll think of what flavours lend themselves well to these foods."

Our other cookery assistant Adam Russell says it's then good to build the recipe from a base to get the right balance of flavours. "First look at flavours that work well together as a foundation," he says. "Then experiment with their quantities to get the right balance, so that they complement instead of overpower each other."

If people want a speedy and simple dish, it's best to cater for this with a short list of ingredients. Cassie says: "Don't overcomplicate things - less is more! Too many ingredients can put people off. Keep your recipes simple and try not to use ingredients if they are unnecessary."

Method

Before bulldozing into penning your method section, our food director Lulu Grimes. says it's essential to test it. "I tell my students to research and write their recipe first, then test it and make any amendments," she says. "Finally, read it aloud as that helps you see if your method instruction is deficient," Lulu suggests.

bbcgoodfood.com food editor Caroline Hire says that the method section and the ingredients list should correlate to make a recipe as easy to follow as possible. "List your ingredients in the order they appear in the method. Check the method against the ingredients to make sure everything coincides," she says. "You also need to explain your method clearly to allow for both beginner and more experienced cooks - and make sure you add the number of servings."

Precision

It's important not to be presumptuous when writing your method. Lucy Netherton creates recipes for BBC Good Food and Easy Cook and says that an outside party can often cast light on any grey areas. "Sometimes when it's your own recipe you can assume your readers will understand what you mean and you may leave out important information," Lucy says. "I always get someone to read it through for me to check it make sense to a third party - or even better if you can get someone to have a go at the recipe and identify any points that may need clarification."

A slapdash approach to certain elements of a recipe can destroy the end result, so steer well clear of guesswork. Caroline says: "Be precise, especially in measurements, timings, oven temperatures and tin or dish sizes. This is doubly important for baking recipes."

It's best to very carefully spell out how an ingredient is to be used. "Clearly describe how the ingredients should be prepared," says Cassie "There's a fine line between finely chopped, chopped and sliced, which will make all the difference!"

Measurements

Without the correct measuring facilities, a few errant grams can ruin a recipe. "Use exact measurements," says Caroline. "So for teaspoons and tablespoons, use a set of measuring spoons rather than table cutlery."

Caroline also warns against mixing dimensions. "Create your recipe in either imperial or metric," she says. "You can include conversions if you like but the most important thing is not to mix the two."

To avoid surplus, it's good to consider the quantity in which people will be buying ingredients. Cassie says: "Try to use whole tins or packets where possible, this saves money and waste!"

But one of the most crucial rules of all is to know your audience.

Barney Dezmazery, our food editor says: "When you are writing for a magazine write recipes for the reader, not for your ego. If you have a clear idea of who you are writing that recipe for then it's easier to write."

It's important to question whether a person has budget restraints, time restraints or access to specialist ingredients, and whether terminology used in the method is universal. Considering these factors will deliver a clearer, practical recipe that people are more likely to cook.

Lulu agrees: "Be kind to your readers, think about who has to do the shopping and how much effort that will be based on the ingredients. Also you may love chilli and put loads into your cooking, but recipes should written with others in mind!" It's important to question whether a person has budget restraints, time restraints or access to specialist ingredients, and whether terminology used in the method is universal. Considering these factors will deliver a clearer, practical recipe that people are more likely to cook.

Read Good Food's tips on photographing food

Comments

AMBasey

2012-02-01 19:35:22.692772
AMBasey

This is great advice, Are there rules around adapting a recipe that you have used before but writing it out for others to use as well(not claiming as my own of course)?

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
wilko

2012-02-02 12:52:49.703607
wilko

all good points as it goes...And to be honest, havnt seen a bad one wrote yet... Have had a couple of taste disasters withg mis-read measurements sooooo knows how important this is...(smiles at teaspoon and tablespoon....and chille powder.....say no more...)

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Crazy Canuck

2012-02-02 13:42:00.926761
Crazy Canuck

Wonderful tips and advice! There have been a few magazine recipes I've followed.in the past that were disasters because of incorrect measurement advice. This seems especially true when it comes to the use or overuse of salt. I love your magazine because your triple testing makes a big difference; and your recipes always seem to suit my tastes. Keep up the great work!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Gert

2012-02-02 13:51:30.723118
Gert

I find it frustrating when a recipe says, say, 10 minutes prep, but lists lots of chopped veggies in the ingredients. For me, prep time *includes* chopping ingredients, not having a commis chef to do it for me! Also, I've rejected recipes described as quick and easy because they use three or four saucepans for different elements. I don't mind using lots of bowls and saucepans if I'm taking time to create something a bit elaborate, but not if I want a mid-week supper!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Tinamum

2012-02-02 16:08:01.491536
Tinamum

I started a couple of years ago writing down my recipes in a little blank book that came through the post (didn't send for it) at the request of my daughter. Along with the recipes I am adding tips and suggestions for other uses to the sauces and things. I have also added little smiles and love hearts all kinds of things. My friends asked why I hadn't done it on the laptop? My reply... This way when I am gone she gets to have a little bit of me every time she wants it. She gets the comfort of me writing it for her by hand and the comfort from the recipes I have cooked for her all her life.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
DEB

2012-02-02 17:31:51.394296
DEB

I havea very strong request please could all recipes be presented with bullet point. I work with number of students with learning difficults, and they find it very difficult to read and follow continuos instruction. Many are complete floored by Jamie Oliver and Delia Smith's recipes, while able to use Julia Child's Mastering the art of French cookary.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Rakhi Gupta

2012-04-21 15:08:01.868555
Rakhi Gupta

Some good tips here. I recently came across a good cooking website where you can type in the number of people you are serving and all the measurements in the recipe change accordingly. Very useful for tailoring to different sized dinner parties.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason: