What kind of basic recipe can you not cook?

[OnlineMadNess]

Omelettes :( They either burn or they're raw in the middle.

You need to turn down the heat!

I'm pretty hopeless at pancakes.

And I can do it, but I detest baking. That's cooking too far in my book.

Fish cakes. Always just fall apart and turns into a huge pile of mashed potato with fish in it. We just call them fish mash now

Pancakes here too. Pisses me of as I can make yorkies!

Steak

I just don't think I can afford it often enough for trial and error.
I know all the theory.

Poached egg. I just do a softish boiled egg instead.

Flapjacks. I’m a very competent cook and baker but my flapjacks always crumble into granola

Merengue. Just never goes right.
Not great at rice either.

For omlettes just turn the heat down a bit and put a baking tray over the top of the frying pan.

Soft boiled, eggy soldier dippy egg. Doesn't seem to matter how much advice I look up, timers I set, devices I try, or cold water baths I use: they come out solid. My DDs ask their dad to make them dippy eggs.

Decent gravy. Probably because DH almost always does it. Roast dinner no problem but the gravy is beyond me.

Other than that I’m pretty competent at following a recipe.

@Preech

Soft boiled, eggy soldier dippy egg. Doesn't seem to matter how much advice I look up, timers I set, devices I try, or cold water baths I use: they come out solid. My DDs ask their dad to make them dippy eggs.

This isn't "proper" but it's how I always do them - get the eggs out of the fridge a while in advance. Carefully and slowly (so they don't crack) put them into just-boiling water. 6 to 6 1/2 minutes. Make sure you are peeling them fairly quickly after or they will continue to cook.

A sponge cake - they always have a big dome in the middle and are too brown around the edges!
For omelettes I take them off the heat and finish them under the grill to stop the bottom burning :)

Omlettes for me too. I turn them into scrambled egg every single time!

@LaMarschallin

Steak

I just don't think I can afford it often enough for trial and error.
I know all the theory.

Steak here too. Also on fried fish- scared of ruining both.

Lasagne. I've tried it so many times, with loads of different recipes. It never, ever tastes right. I hate when pasta goes crunchy and the sheets always seems to, no matter what I do with them. Bleurgh.

Shortcrust pastry. You could fix your roof with it.

@Coodlemoodle The crunch upper layer is often considere the best bit! But if you don't like it, make sure the bechamel sauce covers all the pasta - and you can also cover with tin foil if you like, just take it off to brown for the last five minutes.

Pissing boiled eggs! I want them dippy but with no white snot

Poached egg.

Make sure the water is on a very low heat, hardly boiling at all. Don't use too much water. Break the egg into a cup first, not directly into the pan.

rice! Always go that bit too far and it's mushy.

I can't do yorkshire puddings but I think that might be my oven - I always have two lovely ones and two flat ones!

Proper professional looking poached eggs. I just don't get it! I have started to assume it has something to do with reasons beyond my control, like using day-old eggs, and an absolutely massive pan of water or something. Mine just always go wispy and broken up and never stay together in a lovely little package like in the restaurants.

Oh and cakes/baking in general but I think I have a crap oven too @Sometimesonly

Rice-under or over done.

Sponge cake with a domed top & brown edges.....
Oven too hot and/or needs a slightly larger cake tin.