The things we got wrong
This is a log of the mistakes we made—what we published wrong, what failed in practice, and what we had to undo. It’s not a list of virtues, or even a defence of how we work.
It’s a way to show you what to expect: that we notice when things are off, and that we don’t just fix them quietly. If you find something here that doesn’t hold up, you’ll know we’ll do the same.
Most sites hide their errors. We do the opposite because it’s the only way to prove we actually care about getting it right. A recipe that doesn’t work in a real kitchen isn’t just a bad post—it’s a failure of trust.
And if we’re wrong about something basic, like measurements or techniques, we owe it to you to correct it, even if it means admitting we were sloppy.
Three we had to fix
These are the three biggest mistakes we caught before they became habits. Each one cost us time, credibility, or both. And each one taught us something we now check twice.
The mistakes we caught
- 1Wrong temperature for tempering
The first batch of our ‘perfect’ chocolate ganache guide used a thermometer reading that was 2°C off. It made the chocolate seize in three of five test batches. We didn’t catch it until a reader sent a photo of their failed attempt—with the same thermometer model we’d used. Fixed by recalibrating every guide’s temp steps and adding a troubleshooting section. Curtis Fontaine verified the corrections by testing with three independent kitchen thermometers.
- 2Omitted leavening agent in brownie mix
A popular brownie recipe we posted in 2025 had no baking powder, just baking soda. It worked in our tests because we overmixed the batter, but readers reported dense, flat results. We pulled the post within 48 hours, rewrote the method, and added a note: ‘This recipe relies on baking soda *and* proper folding.’ Curtis Fontaine double-checked every single recipe’s dry ingredients after this.
- 3Mislabeled spice substitution chart
Our ‘hard-to-find spices’ guide swapped cinnamon and cassia in the substitution table for six months. A reader in Berlin pointed it out with a screenshot of their failed chai. We corrected it immediately and added a disclaimer: ‘All substitutions were verified by a spice merchant.’ Curtis Fontaine personally called two specialty suppliers to confirm the fixes.
What those three changed
These failures forced us to build three rules that now shape how we work. The first two are technical; the third is cultural.
Rules that came from mistakes
- Every recipe’s critical steps (heat, rise, rest) must be tested with *two* independent methods before publishing. *(From the tempering error)*
- Dry ingredients are weighed separately and listed in alphabetical order to prevent omissions. *(From the brownie mix)*
- We keep a ‘corrections in progress’ board visible to the team, and no one can edit a live post without a second set of eyes. *(From the spice chart)*
The people behind this
Curtis Fontaine is the founder and editor of *Just Chocolate Recipes*, and the only name you’ll see here. That’s because this site’s corrections are my responsibility—and my embarrassment.
If you’ve read the log above, you know I’m the one who missed the temperature, the leavening agent, and the spice swap. But you also know I fixed them, and that I’m the one who’ll notice the next one.
Keeping this log is uncomfortable. It means admitting I don’t always get it right the first time, and that some of my best ideas (like the tempering guide) turned into public failures before I caught them.
But it’s also the only way to prove I care more about the truth than my own reputation. If a reader finds a mistake, I’d rather they see it here than on some forum where I’ll have to explain myself later.
There’s a smaller mistake I’ll never put on this page: the time I burned a sheet pan of chocolate truffles because I forgot to grease it. I was so focused on the recipe’s ‘artistic plating’ that I skipped the one step that actually matters.
The truffles were ruined, and I had to make them again from scratch—this time with a note in my phone: *‘Grease the pan, idiot.’* That’s the kind of thing I don’t share because it’s not about the work; it’s about me.
If you find something wrong here, tell me. Not to shame me, but because I’ll fix it—and because that’s how this site stays useful. Check the contact page for how to reach us.
There will be a next one
This log isn’t finished. We’ll add to it whenever we catch something—whether it’s a typo in a method, a failed test, or a reader pointing out what we missed. If you spot a mistake, assume we’ll know about it soon.
And if you’re the one who tells us, thank you: that’s the only way this page stays honest.
The recipes are grouped by category: Appetizers, Beverages, Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Main Courses and Reviews.