Experiment 3
For this experiment, I made the Toll-House Cookie from Nestle, but without the chocolate chips and nuts. The cookie texture was exactly the same as the original recipe in texture and flavor, except without the chocolate chips and nuts, as I expected them to be. Then I figured out the multiplier to scale everything down, to make about as much batter as I did for the other experiments. Here are the ingredient amounts:
¼ cup. All purpose flour
¼ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp baking soda
½ stick butter, softened to room temperature
2 ½ tbs. Butter
2 tbs. Each Granulated and Brown Sugar
¼ tsp. Vanilla extract
½ beaten small egg
As you can see by comparing the above listed ingredients to the experiment 3 ingredients, the fat and sugar content has decreased dramatically with respect to the amount of flour. This gave the cookie more binding power because of the increased starch and protein content. The cookies were still great tasting, but held together better, and had more of the cookie flavor we know and love. The baking soda did react lightly to the egg, and the cookies rose a little. In fact, they looked beautiful when they first came out of the oven. As they cooled, the texture collapsed and my wife was rewarded with her favorite cookie type, flat, soft, and slightly chewey. If these cookies are cooked longer than 9 minutes at 375' F, they a hard, crispy cookie, and the flavor becomes darker. That is, think of the flavor taken on by a roux when allowed to brown, verses used blonde or white. That's the flavor you get as the four darkens from longer baking times.
I'll have to wait until Tuesday for the next experiment as that's pay-day and I ran out of eggs. Then I'll increase the water content and add baking powder. I suspect that the cookies will be thicker, lighter, more cake-like. And again, from past experience, I know that cooking time determines whether a cookie is soft or hard.
If anyone else wants to join in this learning experience, join in and give us your results, based on comparison and observation. Please take time to think about the results, and why the cookies texture changed with the ingredients you use.
Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North