Fran Costigan - Real Talk on Recipe Testing

This event aired on Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Topic: Real Talk on Recipe Testing

What are the steps to develop and deliver recipes that consistently yield successful and reproducible results for your audience, whether that is family, friends, followers, clients?

Presenter

Fran Costigan

Director of Vegan Pastry

FranCostigan.com

Fran Costigan is internationally renowned as the authority on vegan desserts. Trained at the New York Restaurant School and Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a chef in both traditional and vegan pastry kitchens before moving into teaching over 20 years ago. A lifelong chocoholic and long time vegan, Fran’s latest book, Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy Free Desserts, (Running Press 2013) is for all who madly, deeply love chocolate desserts, whether or not dietary considerations are an issue. Her previous cookbook, More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally (Book Publishing Company 2006) is the basis of the Costigan Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®. For more information, www.francostigan.com.

Attendees

238 people attended this event

Event Resources

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Questions from this Event

Fran Costigan

The Tahina Cookie Recipe by Joan Nathan before Chef Fran's changes https://www.eater.com/2017/4/1/15122008/recipe-joan-nathan-tahina-cookies

Fran Costigan

Link to Fran's first Tahini Cookie recipe. It works but I am still working on it. https://francostigan.com/?s=tahini+cookies

Char Nolan

What are your thoughts about using tahine as the “fat source” for making vegan biscuits? Should the tahine be chilled?

Fran Costigan

Tahini https://soomfoods.com/blogs/tips-tricks/tahini-101-how-to-use-tahini-as-a-substitute-or-replacement-in-everyday-cooking

Alexsandra Ninomia

Is it necessary to have formal academic training to become a recipe developer, or can someone who is very experienced, but without formal training, also be a full-scale developer?

Maulana Yusuf

Hi chef, can you explain how you make your own recipes? What are the aspects that we have to focus on? Thanks

Lucy Barrera Méndez

¡Hello Fran! I am Lucy Barrera from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. I am sure you have explained before the reasons you prefer maple syrup over of agave syrup, but, can you explain it once again? Tks

Mollie Bower

Love your Q & A sessions! I have noticed a lot of WFPB recipes call for vegan butter, and I typically do not buy any due to trying to avoid processed/sat fat. What do you recommend in place of this?

Janet Duffy

After making a recipe, if it needs improvement, can it be “fixed” so that it isn’t wasted? Is there a procedure for this?

Rosie AIELLO

Chef Fran, can you go through your process of using fresh herbs--the order of washing, how to dry, chop? Are there some herbs that should be torn instead of chopped? Do you maintain an herb garden? Indoors/outdoors? Thank you!

Rosie AIELLO

How do you make a really good Chia pudding? I've tried several recipes but none except for a chocolate one. I'd especially like a good one for fruits (berries). Thank you!

Lenny Duff

I like a little spiciness in my food, but I find when recipes ask for hot peppers, or chipotle, the amount is overwhelmingly hot for me. How much should I start with to make it palatable?

Victoria Mulligan

How can I keep my farro from becoming gummy when I cook it?

Catherine Hardie

Hi Fran, I am a huge fan of yours! Bought your very first cookbook and sadly during several move I lost it. It was a signed copy :(

Catherine Hardie

What sweetener should be avoided if you have cancer? I know, processed white sugar, but I use maple syrup, agave, dates, date sugar, coconut sugar and xylitol.

Cathy Chapman

I try to minimize use of oils and fats as much as possible and prefer to only use EVOO. Is it possible to use solidified EVOO in the place of solid fats such as PB butters and coconut butter?

Carol Haas

Hi Fran, I was looking at your recipe for buttercream frosting (which looks fabulous) and I wonder how to store the unused portion. Thanks so much!!

Deborah Trumble

I’m currently a volunteer recipe tester for America’s Test Kitchen. Do you know of places where I could get experience doing plant based recipe testing?

Cathy Chapman

Can you give advice on how to choose what egg substitute to use when trying to veganize a recipe that calls for eggs? Thanks!

Catherine Hardie

Do you have a recipe for a crisp peanut butter cookie. I have tried about 10 and I cannot get a crisp cookie.

Moderated By

Fran Costigan