Chocolate Chip Cookies

NOTE: If you have a tree-nut allergy, it is easy to simply leave out the nuts from this recipe. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Using this “basic chocolate chip cookie” recipe, we will compare the fat source between two batches of cookies: butter and butter flavored shortening – how might the different properties of these fats affect the outcome?

  • Butter is ~80% fat and ~20% water, and it melts at a lower temperature than butter-flavored shortening.
  • Shortening is 100% fat, and melts at a higher temperature. Here are some facts about shortening from the manufacturer:
    • 50% Less saturated Fat than Butter.
      Crisco: 3g Saturated Fat per tablespoon
      Butter: 7g Saturated Fat per tablespoon
      Crisco contains 12g total fat per serving.
    • Excellent source of the Omega-3 fatty acid, α-linolenic acid (ALA). Contains 710mg of ALA per serving, which is 44% of the 1.6g Daily Value for ALA.

Flour in cookie baking. The protein in the flour sucks up the liquid (forming gluten)…so a higher protein flour gives a drier, flatter, crisper cookie that holds together better while a low protein flour gives a softer, tender, puffed cookie (the leftover liquid turning to steam puffs the cookie).

Mixing fat with flour limits the gluten formation (since gluten formation requires water). We also know that fat is hydrophobic and non-polar – it is insoluble with water, hence mixing fat with flour coats the starch granules in fat and limits the access to water.

The use of egg for our liquid will limit the spread of the cookies (the protein in the egg “sets” quickly in the hot oven and keeps the cookies from spreading.

Materials

Medium and Large mixing bowl Oven
Liquid measuring cup Hot gloves/oven mits
Dry measuring cups Parchment paper
Measuring spoons Baking sheets (2)
kitchen thermometer Whisk or Wire mesh strainer
Electric Hand mixer Cooling rack
Rubber spatula Non-stick cooking spray

Ingredients

Makes ~30 cookies 

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts: walnuts or  pecans

(if you are allergic – leave these out)

 1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp  butter 1 large egg
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
10 Tbsp of butter or

10 Tbsp of butter flavored shortening (e.g. Crisco)

1 batch of each

 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)  3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

When you see text in boldface blue font. You should document that step with a photo within the narrative on your blog.

Roast the nuts (Optional – if you are allergic to tree-nuts, then omit)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. On a baking sheet, roast the nuts for 3-5 minutes. Pay close attention – the nuts will be fragrant when roasted, but they can quickly burn. Pay attention to your observations, not the clock. When the nuts are roasted, stir in the 2 tbsp of butter while the nuts are still hot.

Make the dough

  1. Turn the oven up to 375°F.
  2. Measure out the flour. It is important to measure the flour correctly
  3. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Alternatively, you may combined the ingredients into the wire mesh strainer while holding it over your mixing bowl. Gently stir the dry ingredients until all have sifted through.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment), cream together the fat (butter or butter flavored shortening) and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the liquid or egg and beat thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  5. Beat in the vanilla.
  6. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.
  7. Add the pecans (leave out the nuts if you are allergic!) and chocolate chips, beat 5 seconds on low. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing well.
  8. Cut several pieces of parchment paper to fit the baking sheet – make sure the parchment lays flat. Using a tablespoon, drop slightly heaped tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart onto the parchment paper. 

The cookies need to be the same room temperature as they go into the oven. Do not let dough get warm and too soft. 

Baking the cookies

  1. One sheet at a time, bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown.
  2. While waiting, you can prepare the next piece of parchment paper with cookie batter. If the dough begins to warm too much, you can place the bowl of batter inside the refrigerator. 
  3. When baked, carefully slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet and onto the cooling rack, and allow cookies to cool completely. 
  4. Slide the next piece of parchment with cookie batter onto the baking sheet and return sheet to oven.

Repeat this entire process for the second type of fat. 

On Your Blog

  1. Integrate your photos (taken above) with a narrative of your process
  2. Take Final photos
    1. Of your completely cooled cookies – different fat sources side-by-side, and each type labeled.   
    2. Break a cookie in half, for each type of fat source, and take photos of the interiors. Line them up side-by-side, and label. 
  3. Post a brief video in which…
    1. You describe the texture of the shortening vs butter cookie – crunchy vs soft? crumbly?
    2. Describe what went really well during your cookie making
    3. What would you change if you repeated this process again.

4. Answer the following questions by copy/pasting the question and typing your answer on your blog:

    1. Which melts more readily? Butter or shortening? Why?
    2. Butter is a fat that contains ~15% water, compared to or shortening (or oil) which contains < 1% water. Read about the effects of this water content at this page (Water Activity and Cookie Softness) and then explain the textures of the two different types of cookies.
    3. What do you predict amount the amount of gluten formation in this recipe? Cite evidence from the recipe to support your conclusion.

References:

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2013/12/the-food-lab-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html 

http://www.thekitchn.com/shortening-vs-butter-in-cookies-whats-the-difference-213812