You've got questions? I've got answers. Here we go!
Can I double or triple your recipe to increase servings?
First, let me be clear: I only test my recipes to serve two. That's the point of this site, ya know? There are simply not enough hours in the day for me to test my recipes doubled and tripled. So, that said, I can not answer your question. I only test my recipes to serve two. My Mom frequently doubles my cupcake recipes and bakes it in a 6" cake pan, but there is no guarantee it will work for you. In general, when you alter recipes from the way they are written, the results will differ. If you double or triple a recipe and it works great, please, let us all know in the comment section. Also, check the comment section--many others may have altered the recipe and found it worked for them.
Can I substitute ingredients in your recipes?
Great question! But sadly, I have no idea. I only test my recipes as you see them written. Sometimes, I play around with an old recipe and discover a great substitution. In those cases, I update the post to reflect it.
If you're looking to substitute ingredients to avoid gluten, you're in luck! I have an entire gluten-free section.
Where do you buy your small pans?
I’m so flattered that you’re willing to buy special bakeware just to bake my desserts. My Mom groans when I ask her to buy another pan to test my recipes. (Hi Mom! Love you!)
Here's my STORE PAGE that links to all the adorable pans and bakeware I use.
You can also buy all 4 of my cookbooks on THIS PAGE.
I made your recipe for _____, but it didn’t turn out right. What’s wrong with your recipe?
I’m so sorry! There are a few variables in the kitchen. The biggest variable is your oven. Is it calibrated? Beyond ovens, I see a few common missteps when it comes to baking:
1. Did you use a different type of chocolate than what was called for in the recipe? Bittersweet chocolate is not the same as unsweetened, unfortunately. Check the label on your chocolate.
2. Did you separate the egg? Commonly, folks will say they added the whole egg instead of what is called for in the recipe. One large egg consists of 1 tablespoon of fat (egg yolk) and 2 tablespoons of binding agent (egg white). It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but when baking in such small quantities, it can make all the difference.
3. Finally, is your baking soda/baking powder is old and expired? When was the last time you bought a new box of that stuff? Buy a new box and try again :)
Will you come to my house and teach me how to bake?
I used to offer my private chef services in this way, but now that I have kids, unfortunately, I do not.
Where in the heck do you live?
Excellent question! I can see how you would be confused. When I started this blog in 2010, I was fresh out of graduate school and living in California. Then, I did a brief stint outside Kansas City for 18 months. Then, I lived in St. Louis for a few years. Then, we lived in Dallas, Texas, my hometown for a few years. But we finally landed in Los Angeles in 2022. My husband is a SoCal surfer type, and he has always wanted to move back near the ocean.
What part of Texas are you from?
I love getting this question from fellow Texans. I’m from ‘big D’…Dallas, if you don’t know. I grew up in the country outside of Dallas, and then my parents moved us to the big city when I was 11. I love Dallas, but I also adore Fort Worth.
There was this one time that I had a baby. You can read all about my daughter, Camille that loves broccoli, Brussels sprouts and homemade marshmallows here. And did you know? There's a few posts all about making homemade baby food. Such fun stuff!
To sum things up, I love you. I love you as much as you love coffee. (I'm a tea drinker. You'll find that out).
Thanks for being here.
