Are you baking from memory?

[Winterybella]

I consider myself a new baker still. Those who know me well, know that I mostly baked from a box when I first joined the forum. These days I am thinking I need to commit more recipes to memory and not have to take the phone or the laptop with me when I am in the kitchen.

Can you do a lot of your baking from memory or do you have to consult the recipe?

 

[justme4910]

I have to use a recipe bella,I have a poor memory and have to run back and forth from the kitchen to the living room,where my desk top computer is at that way I figure I am burning calories,so I can bake more sweet stuff

 

[Winterybella]

I have to use a recipe bella,I have a poor memory and have to run back and forth from the kitchen to the living room,where my desk top computer is at that way I figure I am burning calories,so I can bake more sweet stuff

My phone has been stolen with a big chunk of my life and I am feeling quite down, but this really made me smile. I would be the same way but I have a laptop that follows me around. A few days ago I baked a banana bread which by now I should have committed to memory, but I am so terrible, I took a picture of the recipe and took it in the kitchen with me.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

Whenever I am cooking or baking I had always a reference besides me either a cooking or baking book and my notes or records of my final recipes that I had been tested and proven already. Most of the times I am not baking from my memory and I still have to use my preferred references because sometimes I do not have a good memory.

 

[cupcakechef]

It really depends what I'm making. Basic cupcakes, cakes, some breads (banana bread, for instance) I'm comfortable making from scratch without looking, because I've made them enough times before to have the recipes committed to memory! But otherwise, it's off a recipe. I find that baking is a science, and a lot of the time if you put a tiny bit too much or too little of something it can go disastrously wrong! So I have no shame in consulting recipes when I need to -- better to be precise!

 

[Winterybella]

I am reading this again and I am thinking of my mom. I should probably ask her but as a child I can never remember her consulting a recipe. It feels like always she always had the recipe in her head. I do agree that baking is a science but I am also learning that there is some leg room with SOME recipes to be creative.

 

[justme4910]

my mom and mamaw and my great aunt were like that,i have no idea how they remembered the recipes,but they did

 

[Tina Nord]

I have been baking for years and have never attempted to bake something from memory. Baking is a finicky science and if an ingredient is added in the wrong amount, it can throw off the whole taste of the final product. I have always followed the recipe precisely. I have always wondered if the people on baking shows and competitions have a recipe hidden somewhere out of view while they are making baked products because it would be very hard to bake from memory while you are under so much pressure.

 

[Mara]

Even if I remember I always double check, because measurements do matter. If the food is only for me, I can be a little reckless and add more of something or skip an ingredient and then pray. However, if it's for other people too, then I will keep the recipe out, and read it and make sure I have everything before I start.

 

[mommy42]

The only thing I can bake from memory are chocolate chip cookies!!! But, like everyone else I have to consult a recipe for anything I am making. I wonder if our Mom and Grandma's generations baked from memory because they came up with the recipes in the first place or they learned by watching someone - instead of having anything written down!

 

[CherylTorrie]

I think my sometimers is acting up because I tried to remember if I bake mostly from memory or mostly from recipes and I drew a blank. I know I used to be able to bake the basics from memory and make up my own recipes as I baked but if you asked me to write down a memorized recipe today I might have a problem with it. It's kind of like phone numbers. I can always dial them but if I have to say them it's tricky now. I think mommy42 is right though because I learned by watching my Mom and Nanie there fore I don't typically look for a written recipe.

 

[Nekomimi_mode]

It depends on what I’m baking. For things like cheesecake and muffins I need to consult a recipe. I don’t make those often enough to remember what goes where and when. For things like cookies, cakes, and pies I go from memory. I bake cookies at least once a week(no joke) so I know exactly what to add and when. I couldn’t consult a recipe for the cookies I make if I wanted to anyway. I usually end up adding things the recipe doesn’t call for to spruce up the flavor. It’s the same way for the cakes. For the pie I don’t consult a recipe because I never had one to begin with. I looked up how to make crust years ago and after that the filling was whatever assortment of fruit I decided to add at the time. Plum pies are my favorite. I will however consult a recipe if I making a seasonal pie like pumpkin or cranberry since I only make those once a year. If you’re trying to commit more to memory my advice would be to bake a lot of whatever you’re trying to remember by heart. It works better than trying to memorize it like you have a test tomorrow.

 

[djordjem87]

For basic bread it is not very hard to remember how it goes. As for any dough recipe. But you have those recipes with a lot of measurements and when you come across one of those you will need a reminder and it is best to have one especially if that something you are about to bake is not something you make very often. Why would you risk to fail? I prefer cookbooks or my notebook to phones and laptops because I always have some notes written around the recipe an I simply find it easier to work with a cookbook while I am in the kitchen.

 

[Winterybella]

Only today I made the only recipe I know from memory my banana bread. Because I still consider myself a green baker I am always quietly proud of my achievement. I was talking to my sister only today about this and we spoke of never seeing our mom consult a recipe book when we were kids. I have to confess she never did much of anything outside her comfort area.

 

[justme4910]

I still haven't bought any Bananas Bella

 

[Winterybella]

I still haven't bought any Bananas Bella

Certainly you have by now. I made the bread a few times since and did not give you your video. I will have to fix that in the new year. The sweet ants got at the last banana bread and no one cared to save it. I traveled and came back to find a large piece left there going bad. I was not very happy.

 

[justme4910]

I would be mad too bella and I do want to see a video of you making a loaf,I'm serious about the bananas,I haven't bought any in a very long time,i need to pick some up

but money is very tight right now,i have to get my driveway fixed and it ain't going to be cheap lol but I did pick up the stuff for cheesecake lemon bars an apple pie,2 different kinds of chocolate chip cookies and some canned fruit for some cobblers,but I do need some nanners for sure

ugh my belt feels tighter just talking about it

 

[Jenny]

I can bake Oatmeal cookies from memory because it's my favorite!
I actually have that in mind, if you enroll in baking and pastry class, are you required to memorize the recipes of different kind of breads?

 

[Winterybella]

I would want the video to be perfect which might mean I would have to use special bowls and all that. When I am doing my own banana bread from memory, I am always in a mad rush and use whatever I put my hands on usually including my plastic not so good looking bowl. When I make a video I have to make sure it looks internationally friendly.

 

[Myrtle]

I have memorized my favorite bread dough recipe because I have made it every week for so long for my family. We have four guys in our house who love to eat toast, sandwiches (especially grilled cheese!), etc, so the bread goes quite quickly.