How do you evaluate a new recipe?

While thinking about what to make for a cookout tomorrow, I was suddenly struck with a desire for banana pudding. Never having made it, I started searching for recipes online. After rejecting all the ones that contained instant pudding or Cool Whip, I found this recipe, and also this one. Normally when deciding between recipes I'll look at the clarity of directions, availability of ingredients, and reviews when available. Even so, I don't always pick a winner. How can I improve my chances of choosing a good recipe?

For the record, I think I'm leaning toward the second recipe here. One review for the first stated it was "way too sweet," something I do not like in desserts.

One way to evaluate recipes is to compare them to other recipes you know that do work, or that are in a cookbook you consider reliable. If you see ratios of ingredients that are way off what seems reasonable, that's a red flag.

You can also combine aspects from different recipes. For example, find a reliable vanilla pudding recipe from a book you trust and add bananas, using the recipes you found as guidelines.

The only red flags for me are that she doesn't include any acid, to keep the bananas from browning (just a tiny bit of lemon juice would do it) and, more tellingly, she describes creating a banana cream pie by adding meringue. You make a meringue pie by adding meringue. For a cream pie, you add whipped cream. May just have been a slip, but it suggests that the writer is a less experienced cook.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:While thinking about what to make for a cookout tomorrow, I was suddenly struck with a desire for banana pudding. Never having made it, I started searching for recipes online. After rejecting all the ones that contained instant pudding or Cool Whip, I found this recipe, and also this one. Normally when deciding between recipes I'll look at the clarity of directions, availability of ingredients, and reviews when available. Even so, I don't always pick a winner. How can I improve my chances of choosing a good recipe?

For the record, I think I'm leaning toward the second recipe here. One review for the first stated it was "way too sweet," something I do not like in desserts.

Suzy,
Save your energy for the cookout. Go pick up a box of "Nilla" Vanilla Wafer cookies and follow the recipe on the box!!!
Their banana pudding recipe is the classic that set the standard for all others.
Have fun!

Don't discount instant pudding: We've got an outstanding recipe for cinnamon rolls that adds instant vanilla pudding to the dough. Adds eggs and milk without adding more liquid.

But on topic: when it's time to cook something I haven't done before, I'll scour my cookbooks (see the favorite cookbook thread), leaning toward Joy (unless it's ethnic, which it often is), and the two Gourmet books, perhaps a celeb chef or two. A search of the intarweb doesn't hurt, although the ability to find a decent recipe out there can be tough.

I don't go so far as the Mean Chocolate Chip Cookie approach, but I have been known to average or combine a couple of recipes. Generally the less potchke-ing done to the ingredients (not necessarily the simplest recipe), the more likely it's authentic (unless it's French) and going to taste good. Cook's Illustrated does way too much potchke-ing, but at least when you read their articles, you know *why* they're fussing, and when you can de-fuss the recipe, and what will happen if you do.

LucyVP wrote:Suzy,
Save your energy for the cookout. Go pick up a box of "Nilla" Vanilla Wafer cookies and follow the recipe on the box!!!
Their banana pudding recipe is the classic that set the standard for all others.
Have fun!

Agreed. You can also find the recipe for the classic, you make the pudding, on their website. I made my own wafers, but the rest was their recipe in May for the dessert exchange.