The Essential Guide To Baking

Warm cookies always taste better than cold ones. Heat releases the flavor of chocolate and

nut−meats. Try warming cookies in your microwave oven for a few seconds or in a 300 degree

oven for about 5 minutes.

PROBLEM: Sugar cookies get very hard the next day after they are baked. They also taste flat.

Use Cake type flour in the mix and do not press them thin when mashing them out. Press them

half way down with your fingers, then sprinkle on a little granulated sugar and finish pressing

to a little over one−forth inch thick with the bottom of a drinking glass. Thin sugar cookies

will always bake crisp. Experiment with different thickness until you are satisfied, then make

all your sugar cookies that thick.

No matter what the recipe reads, you should always make sugar cookies the way you like. Do not

over mix or over bake sugar cookies. Sugar cookies will be very light brown on their bottoms

when they are done. If their tops are brown −− they are over baked and will be hard.

Double the Vanilla extract called for in your recipe when you want to punch up their flavor.

PROBLEM: What's the best way to store baked cookies?

Wrap cookies tightly, then freeze. They should keep in the freezer for 6 to 12 months. Thaw in

their package to room temperature. Heat in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes or for a few seconds

in your microwave.

Cookie dough freezes well (6 to 12 months, when it's wrapped correctly) and the dough takes up

less space than baked cookies. Thaw in its package to room temperature, then bake as usual.

Bake half a batch and freeze the other half until next time.

PROBLEM: Is it all right to store or freeze different types of cookies together?

They will absorb each others odors and characteristics. Crispy cookies will get soft and soft

cookies will dry out. You must always store or freeze each type of cookie separate from any

other.

PROBLEM: Can I safely store my cookies uncovered in the refrigerator?

They will absorb odors and moisture.

PROBLEM: Can I use fresh fruit in making cookies?

Using fresh fruit in cookies is difficult. The best way would be to process the fruit into a

thick sauce. Substitute the sauce for any water you put in the mix. Example: Fresh apple sauce

is much better to use than finely chopped fresh apples.

PROBLEM: I've stored my nut−meats in the refrigerator and they have an off flavor. Is there

anything I can do to save them?

No. The oil in nut−meats goes rancid rather quickly and can't be saved once it has gone bad.

Nut−meats will also pick up odors that will affect their taste.

Seal tightly for storage and use them as quickly as possible. Freezing nut−meats will protect

Baking Cookies