to be terrible upset that Delia failed me :O

[poppycomeshere]

I follwed the recipe to the 'T' I even double checked it. (had never used her recipe for this before)
Check it half way looks okay, about 5 mins to end was looking getting close, take it out when buzzer goes.

My knife wouldn't even cut it - It was a pure rock - had to chuck it in the bin

Ahhhhh

I've lost the ability to cook and Delia has failed me :(

what were you making ?

ps her lemon meringue in the 3 part books = pants

Delia has never failed me.. what were you making?

The American Chocolate Brownies - so so sad :(

yabu
your oven temperature has failed you
away and wash your mouth out - delia rocks :)

The only thing Delia every failed me on was her lemon curd, I tried to make it 3 times and it didn't work. Found other recipes that work have a lot more sugar in them.

Oh no :(

Her creme patisserie might as well have no vanilla in it and she has yet to discover garlic

I would imagine it's your oven too tbh. Mine definitely "runs hot" so even with Delia I have to either turn my oven down 10 degrees, or check 10 minutes before time or both if I don't want to overcook things.

YABU for not using Mary Berry's brownie recipe.... Works everyntime....foolproof!!

Mmmmmm a slight crust on top with squidgy chocolatey goodness inside...

YABU for not using Nigel Slater's recipe. Divinely obscene.

Or halve the quantities (and make them more normal) in the Domestic Goddess recipe. Mmmmmm.
Agree about the oven.

The only recipes I've used which don't fail ever are from Good Housekeeping.

I've done Delia's 4 nut brownies a hundred times and always been fine but you must be careful not to over cook them.

Buy an oven thermometer and check out the temperature settings. Brownies can be temperamental and a few minutes overcooking can result in disappointment.

The Nigella everyday brownies are fab BTW

Another vote for Nigel Slater's brownies here.

And has anyone tried following Delia's stupid arse method for baking pastry? JUST BAKE IT BLIND WOMAN!!!

I've made Delia's brownies and they were nice (from the Book of Cakes) but the uber-brownie is the Nigella recipe from Domestic Goddess. Nothing else comes close.

aargh, pressed enter too soon!

Her Poire Belle Helene cake, however, appears to have an ingredient missing from my edition, because it comes out like a flat crispy pancake. And Delia normally never fails me, so I'm blaming her, not my oven/ability!

I've made Nigella's and Nigel trumps them.

Yup, Nigel rocks the most.

Ooh, is the recipe available online ?

Nigel Slater irritates every fibre of my being (very irrational I know but I look at him/listen to him/read him and want to give him a slap) and refuse to give him money by buying his books...

lovecat you are so right
But I've never tried Nigels......

Bruffin I made Delia's lemon curd and it worked OK for me!

try the brownie recipe from here, never fails

Nigel trumps Nigella, but I like her recipe because it makes such industrial quantities. I have improved on it, and made it more Nigel-like by substituting half of the granulated sugar for muscovado and substituting 50g of flour for cocoa powder. Much more depth of flavour.