When does an "adapted" recipe finally become yours?

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Carrying forward on Carianna's question, I started making a batch of Joanna Chang's Milk Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies from "The Flour Bakery Cookbook."

However, I've modified and added enough extra ingredients that I have to wonder: is the recipe now mine?

The linked recipe provides Joanna's recipe:

I started out following hers, but forgot to add the extra TBL of butter. Then I decreased the white sugar and added a bit more brown sugar.

I doubled the vanilla then also added 1/2 tsp of Hazelnut cream extract (found in candy supply stores).

Instead of toasting/grinding the hazelnuts (of which I had none), I use a 50:50 of hazelnut and almond meal. And I used the full weight of hazelnut meal rather than leaving half as whole nuts, so that means I have more "flour" than she used.

Then I added more salt because I just can't be bothered with 3/4 tsp of anything.

I didn't have 12 oz of milk chocolate, but I did have a 3 oz bar of hazelnut chocolate, so I chopped that up and made up the difference with 70% dark Callebaut chips.

Oh, and I dug out hazelnut paste from the back of the refrigerator and added 1/4 C of that.

She says to refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight, but I've got to take some treat to the library NOW, so I formed the cookies and popped them in the freezer for 15 minutes. They're baking now as we e-speak.

The question is: are they still Joanna Chang's "Milk Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies" since they have neither milk chocolate nor whole hazelnuts in them?

I followed the recipe exactly.

http://playingwithflour.blogspot.com/2011/11/milk-chocolate-hazelnut-cookies.html

 
Yes, the recipe is yours. Ms. Chang did not invent chocolate and nut cookies. Nor did she invent..

your version of them. Just as you used her base recipe as a starting place, she used someone else's recipe as a starting place.

 
Technically, the ingredients are a formula and therefore, not protected. What is protected

(hers) are the directions. Since you've changed the ingredients, and presumably the directions to match, the recipe is yours.

 
I agree, but think that it would be proper to say that Mar's recipe is an adaptation of Ms. Chang's.

(Give credit where credit is due).

 
A case in point is when I make a chicken breast salad based on

a Roast Chicken Provençal (whole roasted chicken) recipe that seemingly is exclusive to Chef Brian.

The ingredients are pretty much the same, but the method isn't.

 
I wondered about this a lot when I first started my soup blog - you've changed a TON

of the original recipe, probably at that point I wouldn't even say it's an adaptation anymore. If I only make a few minor changes, I give "adapted from" credit. If I change so much you can't even really recognize it anymore I claim it as my own.

That's just my opinion, though. I think I read a David Lebowitz article one time about copyright and recipes that was helpful.

 
I forgot about your soup blog. Are you still doing it? If so, can you link it. Soup weather is here

 
This sounds really delicious... I've been looking to make a salmon soba soup and

this looks like a great jumping-off point. I have this salmon I MUST use soon!

 
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