BAKING THE BEST
COOKIES
One of life's simple pleasures is enjoying
the delightful taste of a home-baked cookie still warm from the
oven. Here are a few tips to consider when baking your favorite
cookie, whether it be a sparkling sugar cookie cut into whimsical
figures, a chewy-gooey chocolate chip cookie, or an oatmeal cookie
studded with raisins and nuts.
- First, always preheat your oven and position
oven racks (normally the top shelves, unless otherwise instructed)
10 to 15 minutes before you need to bake. To be sure of your
oven's temperature accuracy, try keeping an oven thermometer
in the oven at all times and make adjustments for the temperature
accordingly.
- Butter should always be used at room temperature
or slightly. Cold, hard butter will not cream as easily when
you incorporate it with the sugar resulting in flat, so-so cookies.
- Always use large eggs, ground spices,
and all-purpose flour, unless otherwise indicated.
- If a recipe calls for light or dark brown
sugar be sure you firmly pack it into the measuring cup for an
accurate measurement.
- When using nuts, be sure to toast them
before adding them to the batter for maximum flavor. (Also taste
them before using to make sure they haven't gone rancid.)
- Don't use imitation vanilla extract--use
the real stuff--it does make a difference.
- Use only real chocolate. Those chocolate-flavored
morsels are cheaper, and that's exactly what they taste like.
- When adding dried fruit like raisins or
currants to the dough make sure they are soft, not hard and shriveled.
To reconstitute hard, dried fruit pour boiling water over them,
let sit 4 to 5 minutes then strain. Proceed as recipe directs.
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