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The cookie quest

Crispy, fluffy or gooey, the treat of choice has chips

By Tara Pingle
tpingle@mscd.edu

It’s getting to be that time of the year when the sun bakes the leaves golden amber, when pumpkins line the churchyards along the side streets and that peaceful, quiet few weeks before the rush of Halloween, and just after Wal-Mart puts out all their Christmas supplies.

Food becomes a matter of great importance during this time. Even if no one has said it yet, everyone has already begun to think about Thanksgiving turkey. Thus, a great hunt has begun for a food that will satisfy all of the seasons, a treat that will be almost universally accepted, healthier than candy and as warm as the holidays themselves: the cookie.

“I personally cannot find a better cookie than milk chocolate chip with pecans,” said Chef Shelly Owens, who works at the Hospitality, Tourism and Events Department at Metro and teaches the Baking and Pastry class. Adding nuts certainly adds interest, but the thickness and texture of the cookie must also be considered, Owens said.

“Adding fat will cause the dough to melt and spread,” Owens said. This means the cookie will become thin before it is finished cooking. To make cookies thicker, Owens suggests adding flour. Starting with refrigerated dough, then baking faster at a higher temperature helps cookies retain a thick shape as well.

A lot of moisture from water, eggs or milk is what makes cookies chewy, bordering on cake-like if sufficient fluid is added. Reducing the flour or brown sugar in cookie dough will result in crispier cookies. These ingredients hold the moisture in – by reducing them, it is easier for moisture to escape the dough as it is baking.

“The Toll House chocolate chip cookie is actually a great starting place,” Owens said. She recommends starting with a recipe like this one, altering it to the right thickness and consistency and then playing with other ingredients. Substituting the chocolate chips with white chocolate chunks or toffee can be very rewarding, and additional elements like dried fruit create a unique touch.

Don’t wait for Thanksgiving to bake – pick a few favorite ingredients, pour a cold glass of milk or eggnog, and let the quest for the perfect cookie begin!