High Altitude Baking- A Cautionary Tale
So I have had quite a bit of time on my hands lately, what with being unemployed AND climatically challenged. So, to fill the empty hours, I have been cooking quite a bit. I may start blogging about the recipes I try. Maybe I can even find a way to put pics with these blog entries.
I have made 2 batches of cookies.
One was the traditional Toll House cookie recipe. I decided to make big monster cookies, instead of civilized, normal cookies- strategic error on my part. First of all, they all melted together, forming what Dev said looked like chocolate chip toast (which sounds kinda yummie). And, the batter part kinda melted away, leaving only the chocolate chips raised up. So the cookies looked like they had horrible complexion difficulties. I was assured by Dev that they tasted fine. I wonder if the melting thing was just a fluke, or if it had to do with the altitude?
The other batch was chocolate chocolate chip cookies, using the recipe from Ghirardelli that's running in all the cooking magazines this month. The picture on the recipe is WICKED.
I followed the instructions religiously (which those of you who have cooked with me before know is very rare). The resulting batter was supposed to be thick enough to roll into a log, chill, and cut into disks to bake. The batter I got was the consistency of pancake batter. The recipe only called for 1/3 cup of flour.
So, I got online and went to their website to see if perhaps the flour quantity was a misprint. It was not so.
I went back to my pathetic little bowl of batter and began adding flour until it reached a consistency which allowed me to drop the cookies on a sheet pan as I did it's Toll House cousins.
Well, the cookies did not spread. So when they came out of the oven, they resembled turds. Again, Dev assured me they tasted great.
The next pan I prepared as before, but after dropping the cookies on the sheet pan, I spread them out into a cookie shape. These turned out much more appetizing (at least to look at).
Again, I find myself pondering the altitude question.
I suppose it could just be that I suck at baking cookies. Maybe I should start making cakes.
PS- I am also baking my own bread. I should weigh 675 pounds by the time all this freakin' snow melts.
I have made 2 batches of cookies.
One was the traditional Toll House cookie recipe. I decided to make big monster cookies, instead of civilized, normal cookies- strategic error on my part. First of all, they all melted together, forming what Dev said looked like chocolate chip toast (which sounds kinda yummie). And, the batter part kinda melted away, leaving only the chocolate chips raised up. So the cookies looked like they had horrible complexion difficulties. I was assured by Dev that they tasted fine. I wonder if the melting thing was just a fluke, or if it had to do with the altitude?
The other batch was chocolate chocolate chip cookies, using the recipe from Ghirardelli that's running in all the cooking magazines this month. The picture on the recipe is WICKED.
I followed the instructions religiously (which those of you who have cooked with me before know is very rare). The resulting batter was supposed to be thick enough to roll into a log, chill, and cut into disks to bake. The batter I got was the consistency of pancake batter. The recipe only called for 1/3 cup of flour.
So, I got online and went to their website to see if perhaps the flour quantity was a misprint. It was not so.
I went back to my pathetic little bowl of batter and began adding flour until it reached a consistency which allowed me to drop the cookies on a sheet pan as I did it's Toll House cousins.
Well, the cookies did not spread. So when they came out of the oven, they resembled turds. Again, Dev assured me they tasted great.
The next pan I prepared as before, but after dropping the cookies on the sheet pan, I spread them out into a cookie shape. These turned out much more appetizing (at least to look at).
Again, I find myself pondering the altitude question.
I suppose it could just be that I suck at baking cookies. Maybe I should start making cakes.
PS- I am also baking my own bread. I should weigh 675 pounds by the time all this freakin' snow melts.
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