Recipe: Cookie Tips

Betsy-TKL (09:27:38 am) :
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: MilkAY2@IDX.COM
Subject: Re: QUESTION: freezing homemade cookies

I have been freezing cookie dough for a long time. (I don't think I have
ever frozen actual baked cookies - what's the point?).

Whenever I make a huge batch of, say, chocolate chip cookies, I only bake
about
1-2 dozen at that time. The rest of the 0" in length), wrap each in waxed
pape
r, then in foil and freeze.
Then, whever I (or my husband) get a "cookie craving", I remove one of the
logs, let thaw slightly, then slice into 1/2" rounds, place on a cookie
sheet
and bake as normal. Yummy, fresh warm cookies in about 10 minutes with
little
cleanup! Each roll makes about 1 dozen cookies.

Now for my Christmas baking (I give out basket or tins of homemade cookies,
all
different kinds), I began making the doughs back in October. Then, on the
Friday before Christmas, I will take out all my frozen dough logs, slice (or
form into shapes) and then bake and decorate. I find this to be much easier
than doing everything on one day. Again there is no messing with ingredients
and less mess.

Tracy MILKAY2@IDX.com
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Betsy-TKL (09:32:02 am) :
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 1991 20:09:00 EDT
Sender: FoodLore/Recipe Exchange
From: Ida H. Glezen (IHG@PSUARCH.BITNET)
Subject: Helpful Hints For Cookies (Baking and Sending)

HELPFUL HINTS FOR COOKIES

* Butter should be brought to room temperature beore using.
You can put butter in the microwave for approx. 20 seconds to
soften (remember, because the microwave wattages vary, the time
given is approximate)

* Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in your
microwave (in microwave start with approx. 30 seconds, and stir
chocolate). Care must be taken that chocolate doesnt burn.

* Preheat oven or appox. 15 minutes before using.

* Check cookies about 2/3 of the way through baking. If cookies
are not browning evenly, rotate cookie sheet.

* When measuring flour, spoon it loosely into the measuring cup
and level it with the straight edge o a knife or spatula.

* When sifting flour, if the recipe calls for "X cups sifted flour,"
sift it beore measuring. If recipe calls or "X cups flour, sifted,"
sift after measuring.

* Store cookes in airtight containers. Cookies will stay fresh
for about a week stored in this fashon.

* Never store crisp cookes with soft ones, or the crisp ones will
turn soft.

* To get uniform cookie size and shape use a spring-handled ice-cream scoop.
(These come in various sized and are referred to by number -- which is
the number o scoops per quart of ice cream. If your recipe calls for
dough by the rounded teaspoonful use a number 70 scoop.

* Only regular margarine or butter should be used in recipes calling
for margarine or butter. May diet margarines, spreads, and soft margarines
in tubs contain higher percentages of water or have had air whipped into
them.
Using these products may result in a less desirable cookie.

* When packaging cookies for travel pick cookies without sharp points,
as the travel will probably break the points.

* When packaging fragile cookies for travel place them back to back
and wrap in waxed paper or place in sandwich baggies.

* When packaging cookies use popped popcorn to fill the spaces for
additional
protection. Not only is it light-weight it is ecologically sound.

* Best choices for packing and shipping
-- unfrosted crispy or chewy bars
-- chewy or fudgy brownies
-- drop cookies
-- firm cut-out cookies

* Poor choices for packing and shipping
-- cake-like brownies or bars
-- soft cookies
-- cookies or bars with frosting
-- cookies or bars with ingredients that might spoil or melt in warm weather

* LAST BUT NOT LEAST -- LABEL BOX *PERISHABLE* to encourage speedy and
careful handling.
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