How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies (Part 2)
Now for all of you who have a soft spot in your heart for that perfectly crispy cookiethis article is for you… how to make a chocolate chip cookie.
In order to make a good crunchy and crispy cookie you basically just do the opposite of what you do to make a soft and chewy cookie, which was discussed in my last article, How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies (Part 1).
For a crispier and crunchier cookie all you need to do is find a recipe that has a lower number of ingredients that retain moisture (like flour, brown sugar and eggs). This way, the moisture can evaporate easier producing a crispy cookie with a bit of a crunch! [singlepic=2,320,240,,right]
With a recipe that has less moisture-holding ingredients, the fat content will be higher. When the added fat heats up it melts fairly fast, making the cookie spread more than a chewy cookie so your cookie is bound to be on the crunchy side!
Also use ingredients that are at room-temperature (or at least not ice cold). It is fine to have eggs at room-temperature for baking but if your recipe calls for milk, you might want to keep that slightly chilled.
Another tip is to use more granulated (white) sugar than brown. Finally, for a crispy cookie, bake it longer at a lower temperature, and the cookies will have time to spread and crisp up.
Now these are only a couple of the tips for your perfect cookie.
Have you asked yourself, How to make a chocolate chip cookie? Dont you want your chocolate chip cookie to be the best it can be? Arent there other factors that you wish you could change in your cookie? Is it too cake-like when it should be chewy? Do your chocolate chip cookies spread too much? Is your recipe delivering chewy chocolate chip cookies one time and crunchy cookies the next time?
How can you fix these things! Arent you longing to know more about how to make a chocolate chip cookie?
Well, keep reading and youll find out more helpful hints in my sequel article, How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies III
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are many different ideas of how to make a chocolate chip cookie. Some prefer a chewy cookie, while others are seeking something with a little more crunch.
Do you like one thats more chocolate chip, or one thats more like a cookie? White chocolate chips, dark, milk, a little, a lot? There are so many factors that go into the differences in how to make a chocolate chip cookie.
The first main difference in how to make a chocolate chip cookie is in the first bites; thick and chewy or thin and crispy, or maybe you want a balance between the two. [singlepic=3,320,240,,right]
So now youre probably wondering what makes your cookie chewy, crispy, thick, thin, soft, or hard; so many questions for such a little cookie. But really, you can control your cookies outcome. Once you know the factors and science behind your favorite recipe you can alter it or find a new one which will suit the qualities of your perfect chocolate chip cookie.
So what makes a cookie soft and chewy? Well high moisture content does. That sounds good and fancy but what does that exactly mean? Well, to give your cookies higher moisture content you can seek recipes that are high in brown-sugar. It has 35% more moisture then granulated sugar! Also use cool ingredients. If youre a baker, youve probably heard the old story about how you should have the eggs at room-temperature when you bake; however if you want a soft and chewy cookie you want the eggs cold. When the eggs are cold it helps to keep the dough cold, so when you bake the cookies the dough doesnt spread as quickly.
Also if you want a soft and chewy cookie you need stiff dough. Stiffer dough will spread less, and therefore retain moisture in the cookie. Another suggestion for a chewier cookie is to use larger spoonfuls of the batter. Then bake your cookies for a shorter time at a high temperature so they will firm up faster and spread less.
When you are working through all the factors that can impact how to make a chocolate chip cookie, it is important to remember to bake your chocolate chip cookies on a light cookie sheet. If you use a dark cookie sheet the cookies tend to brown faster and they are usually done before the recipe says they will be. Also the rims on the dark pan can cause the cookies to brown unevenly. If you dont have a light cookie sheet, then no worries; just take a couple of sheets of parchment paper and plop the dough right onto it. You will be amazed in the difference!
Also if you want a really chewy cookie its very important that you dont bake them too long; a burnt cookie isnt a chewy cookie. To avoid burning, remove the cookies from the oven when the outside of the cookie is brown and at least 1/3 of the center top remains pale. If you do this, the centers will be soft and the rim of the cookie will have a little crisp to it.
So now you know all about soft and chewy cookies but what about those of you who love a crisp and crunchy cookie? Well read on and you will find out more in the sequel to this article, How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies part II
How to make chocolate chip cookie… doesnt seem all that hard when you consider all the little tips Ive suggested. Believe me, I have burnt many a pan of cookies, but things are much better since I learned more about how to make a chocolate chip cookie in my kitchen.
How To Make Brownies Best! (Part 2)
So you want to know more about the secret of how to make a brownie? Well be sure to listen well because once you know these secrets, you too will be able to pick the best recipes… and not just the ones that look good in the picture.
One tip to making an amazing brownie is to use the right size pan. Some recipes call for an 8 x 8 pan which is great… if you want about a dozen little skimpy brownies.
My favorite pan to use a hefty 9 x 13 sized pan. This size is great because it gives me the perfect depth of brownie and also makes sure I have enough brownies to go around! [singlepic=28,320,240,,right]
Once the family knows that there are brownies, it isn’t long before they find their way into the kitchen so I need plenty for everyone!
Another suggestion is to find a recipe with (generally) less than 2 sticks of butter. With too much butter in the batter, your brownies could turn out greasy and mushy! But be careful, if you seek a recipe with not enough butter, your brownies could be gritty. The grittiness is due to the amount of butter not being sufficient enough to balance out the flour content.
If you’re still out of luck you might want to try this easy fix. Find a recipe which uses cake flour and not all-purpose. All-purpose is good for some things but when used in brownies it can be catastrophic!
Ok, so maybe not that extreme but when you use cake flour, because it is milled from softer wheat than all-purpose flour, it contributes less protein or gluten to a recipe. The result is a finer textured brownie with a smooth finish. Perfect!
Well now you know the secret…you decide how your brownie will turn out as soon as you choose the recipe.
How to make a brownie doesn’t have to be a painful and confusing process… as long as you use the right recipe, and as long as you know the secrets.
How To Make Brownies Best!
It’s too chewy, too cakey, too ‘blah’… it’s missing something; what’s the secret in how to make a brownie?
Well if you’re like many others, this is the exact conversation that goes on in your head as you try to create the perfect brownie.
The first tip in making a great brownie is to decide what kind of brownie you want. No, not the flavor; you need to think deeper than that. Do you want a brownie that is more like cake or more like fudge? Both are popular and usually one is more preferred than the other…but most people desire a balance between the two. [singlepic=30,320,240,,right]
One of the elements which can lead to a brownie like cake is when you choose to use a recipe which calls for creaming the butter and sugar; also when the recipe uses lots of baking powder. By combining these two, your brownie will turn out with a fluffy, cakey texture. If that’s what you want… then great! You’ve succeeded! If not, keep reading.
On the other side of the spectrum, you could have a brownie that is too much like fudge. In this case the recipe called for a lot of chocolate, but no baking powder. By using this technique your brownie will turn out very rich and dense. Now some people like it that way but most need the balance between the two. But can that even be done? After much effort…yes…you just need to decide what kind of brownie you’d like to enjoy.
Absolutely it can be done; to make the perfect brownie…one a little like cake and a little like fudge you must balance out the ingredients which produced the different kinds of brownies. Basically, you need a little bit of chocolate and not too much baking powder. This will produce a treat which has a moist texture and is not too much like cake or fudge.
There are so many other factors which can affect your brownie!
You can have an amazing and delectable brownie but you’ve got to keep reading so you can know the secret!
So keep reading and read part two on this topic How To Make Brownies II where you will learn about other tricks of the trade to master a brownie recipe! Don’t give up…there’s hope for your brownie… keep reading and you too will learn the secrets of how to make a brownie.
Cupcake Decorating Tips (Part 2)
Well now that you understand all about a cupcake decorating tip, the little metal ones, lets move onto some hints that will help you create the best cupcake ever!
1. Start out with a good recipe
Sure those mixes in the box are tasty but if you’ve got the time, then splurge for the homemade cupcake recipe version. You’ll be glad you did. Also try to set aside the time to make your own cupcake frosting. Homemade frostings are rich, tasty and most definitely worth the effort. [singlepic=72,320,240,,right]
2. Bake your cupcakes in paper cup liners…and muffin pans
The pan keeps the cupcakes shape while the liners keep them from sticking. It also gives them a protective cover when its time to serve; helping to keep fingers clean.
3. Make sure you have the right equipment
You should use rubber spatulas for spreading the frosting onto the cupcakes. They’re gentler than knives or metal spatulas and you’re less likely to cut the tops of your cupcake. After all you want your cupcakes to look as good as they taste.
4. Frost a cupcake, top-down
It’s best to place a dollop in the center of the cupcake and work your way around by going in a circular motion, a little further out with every turn. By using this method your cupcake will have a smoother top and not have frosting falling of the edges.
5. Select the right decorating tip; one that’s proportional to your cupcake
By using this cupcake decorating tip your result will be much more professional looking. If you use a huge decorating tip on such a little cupcake, it will become overwhelmed with frosting. So when in doubt, leave it out. Cupcakes kept simple with little features, and less of them, will stand out more than so many things on one tiny cake.
I really hope that these tips helped your cupcakes. Just remember, less is better; homemade beats store-made; and most importantly keep even proportions. By following even one cupcake decorating tip your cupcake will be good; follow all the tips and it’ll be amazing! Happy cupcake baking and decorating!
Cupcake Decorating Tips
There are many different cupcake decorating tips to help you create your best cupcake ever!
Now, for starters, there are two main types of tips for cupcake decorating. There are those little metal things you screw onto a pastry bag… tips. Or there are those little hints people give you to help you create a smoother, more professional-looking cupcake… also tips.
Well today must your lucky day because you’re learning about some of both. I know in my kitchen, I will take all the cupcake decorating tips I can get!
First off, lets start with the little metal tips you could use to decorate your cupcakes. There are obviously many different types. [singlepic=41,320,240,,right]
First, there’s the star tip; its pretty much a classic. This type of tip gives you piping line that has points on it like a star and its frequently used for large cake borders.
The second tip is called the basket weave which is a type that resembles a thin rectangle. There are two varieties of the basket weave. In one, both of the sides are flat, which gives you a ribbon-like look. The other type has one flat and one rigid edge. This tip uses the rigid edge to create a textured effect, frequently used to give the illusion of a traditional basket-weave.
The flower, leaf, and rose petal tips are fun as well. These tips are commonly used on cupcakes and when you use these tips, it makes a flower or a leaf in one step. When you are mass producing cupcakes, these tips are very useful to keep the designs simple, yet elegant. It is a huge time saver in the kitchen.
The final tip is the round tip. (Of course, there are still many more types of tips out there; but these are the four basics and the ones that I find myself using most often.) The round tip is the most commonly used tip. It is about as simple as it gets. The round tip delivers a round dot, pretty much as large or small as you’d like, depending on the size of the decorating tip. It can make dots or if you steadily move it, it can make lines or letters. If you’d like to write anything on your cakes or cupcakes, I’d definitely suggest this tip. Some choose the basket weave tip with two flat sides but usually that tip is too wide to get a clean finished product. Remember… you are working in a very small area.
So that’s some simple cupcake decorating tips. Are you still looking for something more? If so, it’s possible you were looking for decorating tips; those little hints people give you to help improve your baking and to create the best decorated cake or cupcake you can.
Of course, I want to make sure that I give you what you are looking for so if you are looking for cupcake decorating tips, I have written a second article based on the helpful hints for cupcake decorating in: A Cupcake Decorating Tip On Tips (Part 2) and you’ll surely find what you’re looking for!