Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies: baking fail

Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies

The idea seemed simple enough: add crushed candy cane to chocolate chip cookie dough. For this experiment, I used my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe.

I had high hopes for this batch (see fig 1.) of hybrid candy cane chocolate chip cookies. As you will see, the results differed from my expectations and proved my hypothesis, that adding crushed candy cane would create a simple Christmas variation of this classic cookie, very wrong. We have to be honest when our plans go awry.

Figure 1.

Results and Observations:

The candy cane bits melted during the baking process, leaving gaping holes in the cookies, and adhered to the cookie sheet which resulted in fractured cookies when attempting to move them to the cooling rack.

Thankfully the candy cane modification was only added to twelve cookies (see fig 2). The rest of the dough served as a control group and yielded wonderful and normal chocolate chip cookies.

Figure 2. The results of Trial 1 candy cane cookies

Figure 3.

From fresh pumpkin to purée Trial 3: Baked again

Introduction: 
The return of Autumn signifies it is time to bake another pumpkin. Canned pumpkin purée is not sold in France, so I have to make my own. You can read here about trial 1 and trial 2. I have found that for my baking purposes baked pumpkin works best.

fig 1. The test subject

Procedure:

• Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out guts. See fig 2. Save the seeds for roasting. 
• Line a baking sheet with foil, place pumpkin halves cut-side down (see fig 3), and cover with foil. See fig 4.
• Bake at 375^oF (approx 190^oC) for about 1.5 hours or until soft)
• Allow to cool
• Scoop out flesh and mash/blend until smooth

fig 2.

fig 3.

fig 4.

Results and Observations:
Pumpkin was successfully converted into purée. Lining the baking sheet with foil saved a lot on clean-up.

Roasted Pumpkin seeds

Happy Halloween!

The next time you find yourself carving a pumpkin, make sure to save the seeds for roasting.

Simply throw the seeds on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, and dust with salt or other seasonings. Bake at 300ºF/150ºC for 30 to 45 minutes (until seeds are golden brown) and enjoy

Gluten Free (but with dairy) Scone Trial (3)

Introduction:
Continuing the gluten free scone trials (these scones were made with dairy at the request of my friend whose birthday we were celebrating)

Other than using the dairy products, the recipe and procedure are the same as trial 2. The scones of trial 2 were not very sweet and not very raspberry-y. For this trial the sugar was increased to 1/2 C and the frozen raspberries to 1 & 1/4 C.

(red ingredients were modified in this trial)

Ingredients:

2 C gluten-free flour

1/2 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 & 1/4 C frozen raspberries (error on the side of too much)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 C buttermilk

Results and Observations:

The scones of this trial had the desired sweetness and raspberry flavor. No glaze was needed.

Scone texture was good, and using gluten-free flour did not to affect this. The slight chewiness of the scones is consistent with previous fruit scone trials (regardless of the presence of gluten).

I would say we have a successful gluten-free scone recipe. Next goal will be to make it both gluten and dairy free.

Gluten/Dairy Free Trial 2: Raspberry scones

Introduction:

Today I continued the experiment with gluten and dairy free baking. Three frieds who have a combination of gluten and dairy alleries are the inspiration for this experiment. The normal challenge when baking gluten-free is finding replacement for the gluten molecules, but this is not an issue given the characteristic texture of scones. One of the purposes for adding buttermilk (non-dairy in this case) is to breakdown some of the gluten strands which form in the dough. The difficulty with this recipe is finding adequate replacement for the buttermilk and its role as a chemical leavening (the adic in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to form gas bubbles within the dough). For these scones I adapted my chocolate chip scone recipe

Procedure:

(red ingredients need modifying, see Results and Observations)

Ingredients:

2 C gluten-free flour

1/4 C wht sugar

1 & 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C margarine cubed (chilled)

3/4 C frozen raspberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 C non-dairy buttermilk

Glaze:

approx 1/4 C frozen raspberries

1/2 to 1 C powdered sugar, enough to form a thin paste when mixed with the raspberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400^oF (200^oC), set oven rack to middle, line baking sheet with parchment paper
• Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (see fig 1.)
• Set raspberries in a bowl to defrost (fig 2.)
• Cut in margarine(using pastry knife)
• Mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice with enough coconut milk to create 2/3 C non-dairy buttermilk. Allow to sit at least 5 minutes (see fig 3.)
• Drain excess liquid from raspberries and stir in
• In separate bowl whisk buttermilk and vanilla, add to dry ingredients
• Stir just until dough comes together (don't overmix)
• On floured surface knead dough 4-5x
• Pat dough 1.5" thick and cut into 8 wedges.  Place on baking sheet (see fig 4.)
• Brush tops with coconut milk
• Bake 15-20 mins (until golden brown)
• Cool and enjoy!
• For glaze, allow scones to cool and then pipe glaze onto scones (see fig 5.)

Figure 1. Dry ingredients. Note the unique texture because of gluten-free flour

Figure 2. Allow frozen raspberries to defrost to remove excess liquid

Figure 3. Non-dairy buttermilk sitting for five minutes

Figure 4. Scones ready to bake

Results and Observations:

The scones were not bad, but not perfected. The texture was chewy, and perhaps this is from the use of margarine or a lack of adequate leavening. The non-dairy buttermilk may not have been strong enough to react properly or the bubbles may have been lost due to overmixing (human error).

The scones also lacked sufficent sweetness and raspberry flavor. Looking back on my notes from previous fruit scone trials I see a lack of sweetness has been a problem before. The 1/4 C sugar works in tandem with the sweetness of the chocolate chips in the original recipe, but needs supplementing for fruit scones. Also, the quantity of fruit used was too little. 3/4 C chocolate chips may suffice, but I should have increased the amount of raspberries to at least 1 cup.

I employed the raspberry glaze to make up for the lack of sweetness and raspberry flavor. The good news is my friends were more pleased with the results than I.

Changes to try next time:
use 1/2 C sugar
use 1+ C fruit (still allow to defrost and drain)

Figure 5. Glazed scones

Baked Camembert Trial 1.

Baked Camembert Trial 1.

Today's experiment was inspired by the availability of excellent French cheeses and the concept of baked brie. My french friends may shake their heads at the idea of baked camembert; it is hard to know what is considered acceptable creativity and what is food blasphemy.

Ingredients:

• 1 camembert round
• Pre-made puff pastry dough (attempting to make my own puff pastry dough is too advanced/labor intensive for me. Bakers in France begin studying and apprenticing to learn to make delicacies likes croissants and pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants) in high school. I leave such baking artistry to the professionals.
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup jam

Procedure: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg F or 220 deg C
2. Unroll pastry dough and place camembert in the middle.
3. Place jam on top of the camembert
4. Fold dough over the camembert. (see Figure 1.)
5. Bake in oven for approximately 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown (see Figure 2.)
6. Cool and enjoy

Figure 1.

Figure 2. Glory

Observations:

I allowed the camembert to age a bit too long in the refrigerator so the taste was more pungent than a younger camembert would be. Brie is mostly sold in wedges instead of small rounds like camembert, which is why I chose to begin with camembert, but I think my next trial will be with a fresh wedge of brie.