Smart cookie Helen Zaltzman shares her gingerbread creations. The hosts discuss favorite cookies, controversial oatmeal raisin cookies, and types of cookie tins. They search for a lost lemon icebox cookie recipe, reaching out to old Gourmet Magazine staff. They troubleshoot cakey and flat cookies. The host receives a surprise gift and expresses gratitude to KitchenAid.
If your cookies turn out cakey, it could be due to too much egg in the dough or over-creaming the butter and sugar.
If you're trying to create distinct layers in stacked cookies, make sure to pre-bake the inner cookie before incorporating it into the outer cookie dough.
Deep dives
Troubleshooting Cakey Cookies
If your cookies turn out cakey, it could be due to too much egg in the dough or over-creaming the butter and sugar. Another possibility is that there is too much leavening (baking soda or baking powder) in the recipe. Making sure your oven is properly preheated and calibrated can also help prevent cookies from spreading too much.
Dealing with Flat Cookies
If your cookies are coming out flat, it could be due to factors such as oven temperature or the ratio of butter to flour in the recipe. Ensuring that your oven is properly preheated and that you have the correct measurements for the ingredients can help prevent cookies from spreading too much.
Creating Layers in Stacked Cookies
If you're trying to create distinct layers in stacked cookies, make sure to pre-bake the inner cookie before incorporating it into the outer cookie dough. Using a baked cookie as a mix-in also helps prevent bleeding and uncooked centers. Additionally, chilling the dough thoroughly can help maintain the shape and integrity of each layer.
We’re wrapping up this pandemic year and our pandemic podcast in a carefully-sealed bag, so as not to let the flavors intermingle with other flavors in your podcast cookie tin. For our cookie-themed episode, we‘ve got chocolate chip cookies, no-bake cookies, and smart cookie Helen Zaltzman (@HelenZaltzman) tells us about her gingerbread creations. Plus, a Chef Detective mystery about a lost family favorite from an out-of-print magazine.