I’ve recently started eating hot cereals again, and the recipe for Cream of Wheat seems to be for a small serving.
Specifically, the instructions on the box call for 3 tablespoons of cereal from the box. I want a larger serving of cereal, so I double that.
Is it always feasible to multiply the amounts of ingredients in a receipt for a double or other multiple yield? (Assuming all the amounts of ingredients are multiplied by the same multiplier.)
In recipes in general? Oddly no. Some of the reactions (remember: cooking = chemistry) aren’t linear. For the most part they are if you’re careful about what to double: usually volume or mass.
According to the Joy of Cooking, recipes aren’t usually expandable (or shrinkable) without some modifications, particularly of the seasonings or leavening. The book has a cake recipe that is recommended for large cakes (like wedding cakes) because it can be multiplied at will (according to the authors, I’ve never made it.) Many recipes have a notation that they “double well.”
I don’t think I’ve ever tried to more than double a recipe except for things I don’t use a recipe for anymore like chili or spaghetti sauce. I guess that makes this a scientific wild ass guess.
I agree with the others that in general no.
In the case of Cream of Wheat, yes.