Baking in France: Chocolate Chip Cookies (attempt 1)

 Today was one of my first attempts at baking in France.  I started off with the classic chocolate chip cookie.  Recipe here.  As expected there were some challenges/conversions to be made.

Change #1 butter comes in 250g bars.  1 cup of butter = 227g butter.  Because I do not own a scale (yet) and did not want to estimate 227g, I used the whole 250g butter.

The new laboratory

So far, so good
Change #2.
350°^F is 177°^C.  Of course I misread this and set the oven to 130°^C (266°^F).  The cookies took longer, but otherwise seem unaffected.

The end result:

Observations:

The cookies are good.  No observed change with the addition of 23g of butter. 

Success!

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

After much experimentation (see previous trial posts) here is my current working recipe for a giant chocolate chip cookies baked in a 7 inch cast iron pan.  When coupled with ice cream this dessert is known by various trademarked names.  Whatever you call it, it's a giant cookie of joy.

Ingredients:

2.5 C flour

1 C brown sugar

0.5 C wht sugar

1 C butter

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

0.5 tsp water (critical, see Figure 1. for explanation)

2 eggs

2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Bake Time: ±30 minutes

Makes 4 giant cookies

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325°^F
• Cream (mix) the butter and sugars
• Add eggs, vanilla, and water
• In separate bowl mix dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt)
• Add dry ingredients in and mix well
• Add chocolate chips
• Fill 7" cast iron pan 2/3 to 3/4 full with dough (it will rise)  See Figure 2.
• Bake 30 minutes
• Allow cookies to cool in pan for several minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
• Enjoy!

Figure 1.  

The essential 0.5 tsp of water to ensure the mixture has adequate Hydrogen bonding for premium structure and texture.  Yes, baking is Chemistry

Figure 2.

7" cast iron pan 2/3 full to prevent overflow and lengthen cook time.

Giant Cookie trial 2

The quest continues to make the perfect giant cookie.

Experimental Procedure:

For this trial I once again followed my chocolate chip cookie recipe found here with the following variations:

• Oven was preheated to 325 instead of 350
• 7" cast iron pan was filled between 2/3 and 3/4 full of raw dough before baking (see figure 1. at the bottom of the page)
• Cookie was baked for 30 minutes and then allowed to cool.

Results and Observations:

• The cookie edges and middle baked in sync and arrived at the desired browned edges with soft center.  I was able to avoid crunchy edges and raw core.
• Cookie stayed within the confines of the cast iron pan and did not threaten to overflow.
• Total bake time was 30 minutes

I do believe I have discovered the ideal baking conditions.  While this trial did not control for individual variables so as to be able to determine the exact roles of each variables, the goal of this experiment was not to isolate the variables but to arrive at the best giant cookie possible.

Further testing and consumption will be required to determine if this is in fact the "best" giant cookie, but for now I find this recipe with these modifications to be excellent for the time being.  So take this experiment, bake some giant cookies, and enjoy!

Figure 1. The 7" cast iron pan filled 2/3 full of raw cookie dough.

 

Giant Cookie trial 1

Today's experiment is to make a giant chocolate chip cookie using a small cast iron pan.  When coupled with ice cream this dessert can be known by various trademarked names.  Whatever you call it, it's a giant cookie of joy.

For this trial I used my normal chocolate chip cookie recipe with no modifications.  Recipe here.  The only variables we are testing for in these trial is cooking conditions: time and temp.

Experimental Procedure:

I followed the normal recipe but put the cookie dough into a 7 inch (approx) cast iron pan.  Pan was filled 75% to allow room for the dough to rise during baking.  Oven was pre-heated to standard 350°^F

Results and Observations:

• Observations were made at 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, and then I lost count during subsequent repeated short intervals.
• Trial will therefore need to be repeated to determine exact baking time.
• Edges of cookie baked significantly faster than center.
• Cookie almost overflowed pan

I have determined bake time is significantly greater than 20 minutes, probably around 30 minutes.  Next trial I will try reducing the oven temperature to 325°^f to slow the browning of the cookie's edge compared to the center.  I may try filling pan only 2/3 full to see this also reduces bake time.

Though the experiment is not yet conclusive, any endeavor resulting in eating warm chocolate chip cookie I count as a success.

Chocolate Chip Scones (using a food processor)

Today's experiment is testing the effects of using a food processor to cut in the butter for scones instead of a pastry knife.  Here is my standard recipe for chocolate chip scones.  The idea for this procedure modification comes from my friend Elizabeth who's blog is here.

Experimental procedure:
I cut the cold stick of butter into 16 cubes (see picture to left).  Followed standard recipe with exception of using food processor on the "pulse" setting to cut in butter.

Results and Observations:
The experiment results are in and I am happy to report my findings are positive.  The scones are have desired light and fluffy inside and slight crisp on the outside.  Elizabeth's results, that a food processor can be successfully used to cut in butter, have been experimentally verified.  Let it also be noted using the food processor was significantly faster than a pastry knife.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones

Yep, that's right.  Cherry chocolate chip scones.  This will be the third scone species tested.  The recipe is identical to that of blackberry chocolate chip scones, which is a simple modification of chocolate chip scones.  As you can tell the common ingredient in all my scones is chocolate chips.

Ingredients:

2 C flour

1/4 C wht sugar

1 & 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C butter cubed (chilled)

1/2 C chocolate chips

1 C fresh pitted, halved/quartered cherries

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 C buttermilk

Directions:         

Preheat oven to 400^oF, set oven rack to middle, line baking sheet with parchment paper

Pit and halve/quarter 1 C fresh cherries

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

Cut in butter (using pastry knife)

Stir in chocolate chips and cherries

In separate bowl whisk buttermilk and vanilla, add to dry

Stir just until dough comes together (don't overmix)

On floured surface nead dough 4-5x

Pat dough 1.5" thick and cut into 8 wedges.  Place on baking sheet

Brush tops with milk

Bake 15-20 mins (until golden brown)

Cool and enjoy!

S'mores Cookie: Trial 2

Fabrication of S'mores Cookie Trial 2.

figure 1.

Procedure:

The same procedure from Trial 1 was followed with these alterations:

1. the amount of cookie dough used was 2 or 3 times larger (small handful) than a normal chocolate chip cookies.  See figure 1. above, note cookie dough size in relation to the graham cracker squares.
2. Removed both baking sheets at 13 minutes and applied marshmallows to Tray 1.
3. Total bake time was 15 minutes

Results:

figure 2. (above) Tray 1 

 figure 3. (above) Tray 2 

 Observations:

• Larger cookie size melted over the graham cracker perfectly.
• Marshmallows added at 13 minutes melted slightly as desired
• Marshmallows added at the start of cooling did not observably melt.
• Control group (seen top-left of figure 2.) was a good indicator of when cookies were done
• larger cookie size only made 24 cookies.

Conclusions:

The unmet goals from Trial 1. were cookie size and toasting the marshmallows.  This trial achieved perfection on cookie size.  New techniques were not employed for toasting marshmallows and so those results are the same as Trial 1.  Total bake-time of 15 minutes and adding marshmallows at 13 minutes was well timed and should be repeated.  Taking the baking sheets out of the oven to apply marshmallows allowed for better deployment (rather than reaching inside a 350 oven).
Summary:

• Use larger cookie dough portions, approximately a small handful, which should yield 24 cookies per batch.
• Remove trays and add marshmallows at 13 minutes.
• Bake for a total of 15 minutes.

While the quest may continue to one day perfect toasting the marshmallows on top, for now this working recipe is go for further enjoyment.

S'mores Cookie: Trial 1

Fabrication of S'mores Cookie Trial 1.

This beings my efforts to recreate the S'mores Cookie

figure 1.

Procedure:

1. I started with my standard Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.  This can be found here: Chocolate Chip Cookie
2. Graham Crackers were placed on the baking sheets
3. Large spoonful of cookie dough (standard chocolate cookie size portion) was placed upon graham cracker (see figure 3).
4. Cookies placed in oven under standard Cookie-baking conditions: 350°^F
5. Marshmallows were placed on cookies at set intervals during the baking process (see figure 4)

figure 2.

figure 3.

Results:
  figure 4.

Observations:

• Larger amounts of cookie dough will need to be applied to achieve the average radius of 4.5 cm and fully cover the graham cracker square.
• Marshmallows placed on cookies at Time 0 and Time 5 minutes melted off the cookies.
• Marshmallows placed at Time 12 minutes became gooey, but did not achieve desired toastedness.  This was the group with results closest to our desired objective.
• Marshmallows placed at the start of cooling did not adequately melt.
• Control group (standard chocolate chip cookie, no graham cracker or marshmallows) baked normally.

Conclusions:

Next round I will need to use larger portions of cookie dough per cookie.  Adding marshmallows at the beginning and during cooling did not work well.  I observed that adding the marshmallows after 12 minutes, with ~1 minute to go, gave the desired gooeyness, but lacked toastedness.  Employing another technique (quick broil?) will be necessary to achieve toastedness.

Conclusion: close, but no cigar.  

S'more Cookie: Reverse Engineering

 Meet the S'mores Cookie from Cookie Connection, a local chain of excellent cookie shops.  

The S'mores cookie is Emily's favorite cookie from Cookie Connection.  For this reason I have decided to reverse engineer this cookie and create my own.

There are three components to the cookie

1. Melted marshmallows on top (see above photo) 

2. Chocolate chip cookie

3. Graham cracker square base (which provides an excellent textural variation to the cookie)

 The graham cracker base

I acquired an official S'mores cookie and began my analysis.  Here are my observations:

1. Average radius of the cookie was 4.5 cm (to fully cover graham cracker)
2. Milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chips.
3. Marshmallows were nicely toasted.  They were on the cookie long enough to make indentations in the cookie as they baked, but were not completely melted.

These are my notes for now.  Next up will be Trial 1 to replicate this S'mores-y goodness.

Beer Bread

(Jalapeno Cheddar Beer Bread pictured)

Beer Bread is always a winner.  It's simple, quick, and affordable.  It is great at parties, potlucks, and other social gatherings.  I learned to make beer bread in college from my roommate Ian, and even if Ian was not the amazing man that he is, I would still be indebted to him for this beer bread recipe.

In case you or someone you know is worried about the alcohol from the beer, the boiling point of alcohol is 173°^F well below the 350°^F the bread is baked at.  Even when compensating for the boiling point elevation due to solute concentrations, it is safe to say the ethanol (alcohol) in the dough will boil out of the bread long before it finishes baking.

Ingredients:
3 C flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C sugar
1 can/bottle/12 oz. beer (use whatever, my experimenting with different quality, brands, and styles of beer has not yielded detectable differences in beer bread)
1/3ish C butter

Directions:
(brace yourselves for the complexities)

• Preheat oven to 350°^F
• Mix ingredients (everything except butter) in a large bowl.
• Pour dough into a greased loaf pan (a deep/wide pan is best)
• Layer thin (~1/4 inch, 1/2 cm) slices of butter on top of whole loaf.  The butter by the sides of the pan will coat the sides of the loaf.
• Bake for 45-60 mins (toothpick comes out clean)
• Cool and enjoy.

Variables:

An option to spice things up with beer bread can be the addition of cheese and/or jalapenos.

1-2 C grated cheese (cheddar was more flavorful than pepper jack)

5-6 jalapeno slices (diced)

Add to the dough, no alteration to bake time.