Devising a recipe
A question I'm often asked is: how do you come up with your recipes? How do you perfect them? This is something I've already mentioned on this page, but I'll take this opportunity to go into a bit more detail.
14 K 4.4/5 (21 reviews)
Last modified on: October 15th 2012
Devising a recipe
So, how do I devise my recipes? Just like everyone else (I imagine), I start with an idea, an article I've read, a television programme, an ingredient I've seen in a shop or on a market, or just something I fancy doing. I make a first attempt, which usually fails! Sometimes I persevere, I start all over gain, often many times, and sometimes – maybe half the time – I end up with a good recipe.
Here's a real example: I wanted to come up with a recipe for my niece Elsa, who is away on a course on the Island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. In spite of the enchanting surroundings, she's emotionally up and down due to being so far from her family. I visited Reunion once many, many years ago. Although it's no doubt an over-simplification, the tastes that have stayed with me are coconut (ah – coconut punch!) and vanilla (the famous Bourbon vanilla, like pods Elsa gave me for Christmas).
That was the starting point: coconut-vanilla, but where to take it from there? Some sort of biscuit maybe, with ground coconut mixed with flour and vanilla sugar? Hm, yes… classic, a bit too classic perhaps, and I've a dread of coconut biscuits and cakes (apart from rochers coco) being rather stodgy.
No – some sort of coconut-vanilla cream would be better, smooth and rich but with two complementary flavours. OK, here we go!
1sttry: a vanilla cream, with the powdered coconut left to infuse in the milk. Result: fairly good, but the vanilla is too strong and the coconut hardly noticeable. Failed! No, that doesn't work, better not to mix them. Two separate creams would be better, that can be turned out one on top of the other, then coated with caramel.
2ndtry: a vanilla cream made with eggs, like for a crème brulée, baked in the oven in a bain-marie, then moulded in a ramekin. Then a coconut cream made with coconut milk, a little sugar, and set using agar-agar. Result: the vanilla cream holds its shape quite well when turned out, but the coconut cream has set stiff because of the agar-agar, and when this is turned out on top, it squashes the layer underneath and the whole thing collapses. The vanilla cream is smooth, but the coconut cream is too firm in the mouth; there's too much contrast. And besides, the strong flavour of the caramel overpowers the rest and is the only thing you can taste. Failed again! It's still not right; the vanilla part works, but the coconut needs something better.
3rdtry: I leave out the caramel; I cook the vanilla cream with a circle on the bottom to make turning out easier. Once it's cold, I pour a little melted chocolate on top, then when that has set, I pour the coconut cream over. In the ramekin it all looks fine… Let's turn it out: disaster! The chocolate has acts like a skating rink and the coconut cream (which is still too firm) just slides off the vanilla. Another failure!
Right – time for a change of plan! No turning out this time, we'll cook it in a clear glass with the creams cooked on top of each other, and it can be eaten with a small spoon. Let's have a go!
4thtry: I cook the vanilla cream in the glasses, I prepare the coconut cream with less agar-agar to make it less firm, then pour it onto the cooked vanilla cream. Disaster! The vanilla cream is so fragile that the coconut cream goes straight through it and the two mingle and break up. Not to worry, for the rest, I pour the coconut cream gently over the back of a spoon and this works. Once cooled, there are two lovely layers of yellow (vanilla) and white (Coconut). The vanilla flavour is good but the coconut is still too firm, so still not right. Failed again!
So, the problem lies with the coconut cream, which needs a complete rethink. The coconut milk with agar-agar doesn't work because it sets like a firm custard.
5thtry: I try adding a little pouring cream to the coconut milk and I replace the agar-agar with gelatin. It's still slightly runny so much better on top of the vanilla cream – a good sign! Another tasting: oh, yes – that's it! There's the creaminess of the vanilla underneath and a very similar texture in the coconut on top. With two layers of different colours, it looks good as well.
Finished? Almost, but it was Nicolas's question that really clinched it: “What kind of cream did you use for the vanilla?” Reply: the same as for a crème brulée. Ah-ha! It would be great if there was a crust to break on top. So, more caramel? No – we've already tried that, and the flavour didn't work. What we need is some sort of thin crunchy biscuit, like an almond tuile. OK, we're off again!
6thtry: Vanilla cream, coconut and a thin coconut tuile on the top. This time, there's a real harmony of balanced flavours and it's in the style of a crème brulée, with a thin crust to break through.
All that remains is to sort through the photos and upload the recipe for “Coconut-vanilla cream for Elsa” .
I admit that this one is a real text-book case where I was very patient and because I was determined to create a recipe for Elsa.
In general, it's rare for me to go beyond a third try if that fails. Maybe the idea wasn't such a great one after all…
Here's a real example: I wanted to come up with a recipe for my niece Elsa, who is away on a course on the Island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. In spite of the enchanting surroundings, she's emotionally up and down due to being so far from her family. I visited Reunion once many, many years ago. Although it's no doubt an over-simplification, the tastes that have stayed with me are coconut (ah – coconut punch!) and vanilla (the famous Bourbon vanilla, like pods Elsa gave me for Christmas).
That was the starting point: coconut-vanilla, but where to take it from there? Some sort of biscuit maybe, with ground coconut mixed with flour and vanilla sugar? Hm, yes… classic, a bit too classic perhaps, and I've a dread of coconut biscuits and cakes (apart from rochers coco) being rather stodgy.
No – some sort of coconut-vanilla cream would be better, smooth and rich but with two complementary flavours. OK, here we go!
1sttry: a vanilla cream, with the powdered coconut left to infuse in the milk. Result: fairly good, but the vanilla is too strong and the coconut hardly noticeable. Failed! No, that doesn't work, better not to mix them. Two separate creams would be better, that can be turned out one on top of the other, then coated with caramel.
2ndtry: a vanilla cream made with eggs, like for a crème brulée, baked in the oven in a bain-marie, then moulded in a ramekin. Then a coconut cream made with coconut milk, a little sugar, and set using agar-agar. Result: the vanilla cream holds its shape quite well when turned out, but the coconut cream has set stiff because of the agar-agar, and when this is turned out on top, it squashes the layer underneath and the whole thing collapses. The vanilla cream is smooth, but the coconut cream is too firm in the mouth; there's too much contrast. And besides, the strong flavour of the caramel overpowers the rest and is the only thing you can taste. Failed again! It's still not right; the vanilla part works, but the coconut needs something better.
3rdtry: I leave out the caramel; I cook the vanilla cream with a circle on the bottom to make turning out easier. Once it's cold, I pour a little melted chocolate on top, then when that has set, I pour the coconut cream over. In the ramekin it all looks fine… Let's turn it out: disaster! The chocolate has acts like a skating rink and the coconut cream (which is still too firm) just slides off the vanilla. Another failure!
Right – time for a change of plan! No turning out this time, we'll cook it in a clear glass with the creams cooked on top of each other, and it can be eaten with a small spoon. Let's have a go!
4thtry: I cook the vanilla cream in the glasses, I prepare the coconut cream with less agar-agar to make it less firm, then pour it onto the cooked vanilla cream. Disaster! The vanilla cream is so fragile that the coconut cream goes straight through it and the two mingle and break up. Not to worry, for the rest, I pour the coconut cream gently over the back of a spoon and this works. Once cooled, there are two lovely layers of yellow (vanilla) and white (Coconut). The vanilla flavour is good but the coconut is still too firm, so still not right. Failed again!
So, the problem lies with the coconut cream, which needs a complete rethink. The coconut milk with agar-agar doesn't work because it sets like a firm custard.
5thtry: I try adding a little pouring cream to the coconut milk and I replace the agar-agar with gelatin. It's still slightly runny so much better on top of the vanilla cream – a good sign! Another tasting: oh, yes – that's it! There's the creaminess of the vanilla underneath and a very similar texture in the coconut on top. With two layers of different colours, it looks good as well.
Finished? Almost, but it was Nicolas's question that really clinched it: “What kind of cream did you use for the vanilla?” Reply: the same as for a crème brulée. Ah-ha! It would be great if there was a crust to break on top. So, more caramel? No – we've already tried that, and the flavour didn't work. What we need is some sort of thin crunchy biscuit, like an almond tuile. OK, we're off again!
6thtry: Vanilla cream, coconut and a thin coconut tuile on the top. This time, there's a real harmony of balanced flavours and it's in the style of a crème brulée, with a thin crust to break through.
![coconut-vanilla cream for Elsa](/images/recettes/desserts/cremes_mousses/313-0.webp")
All that remains is to sort through the photos and upload the recipe for “Coconut-vanilla cream for Elsa” .
I admit that this one is a real text-book case where I was very patient and because I was determined to create a recipe for Elsa.
In general, it's rare for me to go beyond a third try if that fails. Maybe the idea wasn't such a great one after all…
Lasts posts
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20249325
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...December 13th 20242,2115
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...November 29th 20242,1525
No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...November 21th 20242,0625
Your oven in "proofer" mode
In the bakery, proofing is a crucial stage in the process of making light, plump breads and pastries. During proofing, the yeast ferments the sugars present in the dough, releasing carbon dioxide which forms bubbles. This process allows the dough to swell and aerate, guaranteeing a soft, light...September 27th 20245,0145
Other pages you may also like
Coarsely chopped herbs
Although we are in the middle of winter as I write these lines, you should not hesitate to make salads at this time, it is actually quite simple, rather fast, and so pleasant. A while ago, I already told you that a salad is a salad, but a salad with herbs is immediately something much better:...January 9th 20219,9794.9
Stand mixer tools
Whether we call it a stand mixer, food processor, or simply refer to it by brand (Kenwood, KitchenAid, etc.), this machine is a valuable tool for amateur cooks, bakers or pastry chefs like ourselves. All these machines come supplied with 3 different tools. Let’s take a look at their names and...November 2nd 201933 K4.5
85 grams of eggs?
Some time ago, I already spoke to you about the difference between baking and pastry-making, I emphasized, among other things, the precision of pastry-making which requires grams, cm, degrees and minutes. That's why, on the one hand, you have baking and cooking, where a certain tolerance is...November 26th 201849 K4.6
Chive flowers
Did you know that? Chive flowers are not only a beautiful purple color, but they are also edible and delicious.May 29th 201944 K4.4
Circles vs. moulds tins
If you like to bake or make quiches, pies etc. you must surely have one or more pie pans at home, in different diameters and perhaps materials. They are indispensable, without them there is no way to make beautiful pies, and they work very well, but you have another option, instead of moulds,...October 2nd 202013 K5
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.