Sheldon wrote:


> > Given that I currently live in a very dry climate (often need more
> > liquid than stated) at high altitude (may need to adjust oven temp,
> > cooking time and occasionally add a bit more flour), following most
> > baked goods recipes in a 'relatively precise' manner is guaranteed to
> > fail often. It's easy enough to learn what textures a baking mix should
> > have and get there without measuring anything precisely.
>
> Precisely. Of all cookery baking requires the *least* precision.
> People like to think precise measuing is important for baking because
> those are the people who don't understand the concepts involved, and
> therefore are frightened, really *ascared*.


Spoken like someone who is not a baker. I admit to cooking most things by
the seat of my pants and regard recipes as guidelines only, but baking is a
different matter. While cakes are very versatile and can turn out nicely,
though sometimes different, with huge variations in ingredients, cookies,
biscuits and pastry tend to be much better when you follow the recommended
amounts of ingredients as specified in the recipes.