Cookies Foods I

Baking Basics Measure accurately Add ingredients in order Mix the correct length of time

The Pan Use size directed by recipe Use light-colored metal Lower temp 25 degrees when using glass or dark-colored metal Don’t put batter or dough on hot pan

Mixing Methods Standard  Cream solid fat and sugar

Ingredients for Baking 1. Flour: main ingredient  Bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour is best for cookies and bars  Builds structure when mixed with liquid  Protein or gluten content varies in different types of flour. Gluten is needed for elasticity Cake flour – least amount of gluten Bread flour – highest amount

Ingredients for Baking 2. Liquid: helps build structure  Make cookies crisper by causing them to spread more and bar cookies higher, lighter and more cake-like 3. Leavening Agents: helps product rise  Cookies usually have baking soda or powder, which are NOT interchangeable  Air: beating, creaming, whipping  Steam: high amounts of water let off steam  Carbon dioxide: Yeast Baking Soda Baking Powder

What is a leavening agent? A leavening agent (also leavening or leaven) is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action which lightens and softens the finished product. The leavening agent—biological, chemical, or even mechanical—reacts with moisture, heat, acidity, or other triggers to produce gas (usually carbon dioxide and sometimes ethanol) that becomes trapped as bubbles within the dough. When a dough or batter is mixed, the starch in the flour mixes with the water in the dough to form a matrix (often supported further by proteins like gluten or other polysaccharides like pentosans or xanthan gum), then gelatinizes and "sets"; the holes left by the gas bubbles remain.doughsbatterscarbon dioxideethanolbubblesstarchglutenpentosans xanthan gum

Ingredients for Baking 4. Fat: adds richness, flavor and tenderness  Solid fat: butter, shortening or margarine  Liquid fats: oil  No substitutions between solid and liquid fat!  Do not use whipped/tub margarine! How soft is it supposed to be?  Soften at room temperature for min  Microwave until you can leave a fingerprint or slight indentation on the stick.

Ingredients for Baking 5. Eggs: flavor, nutrients, richness, color and structure 6. Sweeteners: tenderness, browning, flavor  White/brown sugar  Honey, corn syrup, molasses 7. Flavorings: flavor or texture  Vanilla, nuts, cocoa or oatmeal

Mixing Ingredients 1. Liquid + flour = forms structure 2. Mixing develops the gluten making a “web” in the dough or batter 3. Air, steam or gas (from leavening agents) gets trapped in the web 4. Web expands when heated = product rises

Developing the Gluten Strong gluten structure makes a product sturdy, tough or coarse More mixing is required Examples: kneading bread dough

Developing Gluten Weak gluten structure provides a light, tender product = less mixing Examples: cake, muffins, pie, cupcakes

Baking Cookies Use cooled cookie sheets Make all cookies the same size Bake cookies and bars on the middle oven rack Check cookies and bars at the minimum baking time listed Remove from cookie sheet and cook as directed Remove cookies with a metal spatula Cool cookies on a wire rack

Removing Stuck Cookies If cookies were left to cool too long on the cookie sheet and are difficult to remove, what can you do? Put the cookies back in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes to warm them, then remove them from the sheet.

Cookie Variation Lab Monday – Demonstration Tuesday – Lab/Evaluations