CAP Recipe Notebook: How to Get Organized?

You hear all sorts of contradictory things about the recipe notebook. That's fairly normal since each examination centre does things a bit differently. Let's clarify what you're allowed to do at the CAP pastry exam.

According to the official texts, each student can bring their own recipe notebook. They can use it during the exam instead of the technical sheets. The notebook itself can be in any format, but must only contain ingredients. No preparation instructions may be written in it.

So you can create a notebook (in a simple exercise book) with sections and the recipes you want to use. You need to list the ingredients in order of use with their weight — and that's it!

No colours, no cooking times, no step-by-step instructions... Be very careful because if the examiners have any doubts, it's considered cheating! That potentially means 5 years banned from any national exam...

Here's an example of what you're allowed for sweet pastry dough:

 

So that's what you're allowed in theory. However, some centres don't allow candidates to bring their notebook. So it's a bit of a lottery.

Beyond that, I wouldn't necessarily advise you to use your own recipes rather than the technical sheet. Indeed, the quantities on the sheet are often too generous. If all candidates have leftovers, you won't have any issues. If you decide to use your recipe and you have too much or too little, it could come back to haunt you!

But others believe that coming with recipes you've mastered and tested many times is easier. If you bring your recipe and it tastes better than the other candidates', you'll definitely stand out!

So it's up to you to see how you feel and whether or not to use your notebook on the big day. Personally, I didn't make a notebook. I didn't have much time to prepare it and I didn't feel comfortable straying from the standard (probably my inner teacher's pet!).

However, I took my exam at the Paris Boulangerie School and the teacher corrected the technical sheets with the school's recipes. So I was fairly confident about the recipes provided.

And you — are you planning to use your own recipes at the CAP or stick with the provided technical sheets?