Recipe Testing

Why Recipe Testing?

It might be surprising, but recipe books often contain serious errors. Many baking and pastry recipes are adapted from professional kitchens, and scaling them down for home use is far more complex than simple math. It takes thorough testing to adjust not just ingredient quantities, but also methods, equipment, and available ingredients.

If a cookbook is aimed at home bakers, every recipe needs to be tested to ensure reliable, repeatable results. Poorly tested recipes lead to frustration—and frustrated bakers leave negative reviews. Book reviews may seem secondary, but they influence sales and shape a book’s (and author’s) reputation. Social media only amplifies this. A well-tested cookbook leads to successful bakes, happy bakers, and positive word of mouth—online and off.

Why should a Home Baker test your recipes?

Mistakes in ingredient quantities, measurements, and temperatures are common—especially when adapting bakery or restaurant recipes for home use. Another challenge is the use of specialized tools or equipment that most home bakers don’t have. While online shopping has made more tools and ingredients accessible, a recipe that calls for a commercial oven or tempering machine can still leave a home baker stuck.

Omitted steps or vague instructions can also be a problem. Some books assume a technical audience—bakers who know what to look for when proofing bread, for example—while others need clear, detailed guidance.

In either case, if the final recipe differs from the original version, proper testing is essential—ideally by someone who reflects the skill level and tools of the intended audience.

Why Chubbee Kitchen?

I don’t hold a formal culinary or pastry degree but have been rigorously testing recipes at home since 2015. Driven by a passion to master all styles and disciplines of baking, I proudly calls myself a “professional home baker”—an obsessive home baker who bakes at a professional level without formal training.

With years of hands-on experience, I know exactly when and why a recipe isn’t working. I offer valuable feedback on recipes, ingredients, and equipment to help ensure your target audience achieves consistent, successful results. Approaching baking from a home baker’s perspective requires a mindset that’s often different from that of culinary professionals, and I understand this deeply.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and French, I can help with recipe translations, ensuring accuracy, proper baking terminology, and error-free conversions.

Additionally, I have built a trusted social media presence among home bakers and baking enthusiasts. I can capture beautiful photos of the baking process and final results, and assist with promoting your book or recipe to her engaged audience.