"C" Is For Cookie

Recipes

Written by Elke Probkevitz

Thursday, 17 March 2011 11:05

Whether youâ€™re eating them plain or dunking them into a cool glass of milk, cookies are a satisfying treat that hits the spot. Soft and chewy or crisp and crunchy, whatever your pleasure, a cookie is simple to make and even simpler to devour. Itâ€™s a versatile treat, since just about anything can be mixed in to a cookie batter, from chocolate chunks or chips to peanut butter or pecans. All you have to do is get the basics down pat, then you can let your imagination, or your cravings, run wild.

There are five basic types of cookies: drop, bar, refrigerated, rolled, and shaped. The variety is determined by how they are formed and the consistency of the dough. Drop cookies are formed in the traditional wayâ€”by dropping spoonfuls of cookie batter onto a baking sheet individually and then baking them. Bar cookies are baked and then cut into cookie squares. For refrigerated cookies, the dough is formed into a log, chilled, and then cut into rounds to bake. For rolled cookies, a rolling pin is used to flatten the dough and then parts are cut out with a cookie cutter. Shaped cookies are similar to rolled, but special cookie-cutter shapes are used to form the cookies.

Here are some tips on how to bake perfect cookies every time:

Remove the ingredients from the fridge. Take out ingredients like butter, margarine, and cream cheese from the fridge ahead of time so they are softened and easily creamed into the cookie batter.

Ensure even baking and browning. Since cookies are small and they bake relatively quickly, you want to take measures to ensure even baking and browning. Preheat the oven at least 15 minutes before baking. Place only one baking sheet in the oven at a time, and use the center oven rack. If the oven cooks unevenly, rotate the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time. You can also use this method if you chose to bake with two sheets at a time.

Chill your dough. After making the dough, chill for about 20 minutes so the dough is easier to handle. Raw cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to two weeks and frozen for up to six weeks.

Use a cool baking sheet. After baking your first batch, make sure to let your baking sheet cool before reusing. A hot baking sheet will melt the cookie dough and cause it to spread too quickly.

Watch your cookies. Cookies bake quickly, so check for doneness and watch carefully. If you like them crispy, you can let them brown a bit on the edges. If you like your cookies a little underdone, take them out of the oven when they are just set and a little under-cooked in the center.

In honor of Purim, here is a traditional rolled-cookie recipe thatâ€™s cut out and pinched into corners to form Hamentashen.

Hamentashen With Chocolate Ganache Filling

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup orange juice
5 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
8 1/2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
8 oz. heavy cream or soy creamer

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350Â°F. Grease cookie sheets. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add oil, vanilla, and orange juice. Combine flour and baking powder. Stir into batter to form stiff dough. If dough is not stiff enough to handle, add more flour. Refrigerate dough until ready to use.

Place chopped chocolate and cream or creamer in a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Melt the chocolate, stirring until all lumps are gone. Chill in refrigerator until filling is firm.

Roll out dough to 1/4â€ thick and cut into circles. Spoon 2 teaspoons of filling into center of each round. Pinch edges to form three corners. Bake 12â€“15 minutes, until light brown.

Want to learn how to cook gourmet, delicious meals right in your own kitchen? Take one-on-one cooking lessons or give a gift to an aspiring cook that you know. For more information, contact Take Home Chef personal chef services by calling 516-508-3663, writing to elke@TakeHomeChef.net, or visiting www.TakeHomeChef.net.