read the directions! Usually when people begin a sentence with, “I tried this new recipe – it was terrible!” The next few sentences invariably include, “I was out of ‘xxx’ ingredient, so I threw in ‘xxx’. I also hate ‘xxx’ so I left them out. Plus, I didn’t have the pan they called for, so I used ‘xxx’ instead.” Well, goodness! I’m not at all sure why that recipe didn’t work for you!
Though recipes can be “guidelines,” I truly don’t consider them as such. At least not the first time I make it. I consider them directions for the end goal. If you want what the picture looks like in the recipe book, follow the directions–exactly. No substitions or omissions. And please, don’t complain that the recipe was awful, when you didn’t follow the directions. Just call a spade a spade – “my” recipe was awful, not the one in the book.