Physics of making Cookies
On combinations and effects and wholesome flours.. Exploring gamut of cookies through Mommy Sonnny Kitchen talks..
S: I smell something delicious.. Ah.. They look like chocolate cookies.. Let me grab a few.. But wait.. Why do they taste different?
M: Sonny, You have been eating too much of sugary cookies. I have decided to bake some healthy cookies for you kids. These are made with millet, jaggery and ghee. When you kids were little, gradma used to make healthy and yummy raagi mudde.. This is like a baked version sonny..
S: You have tricked me Mommy.. Is it possible to make cookies without flour? You should be using Flour for cookies..
M: Well, lets get into the basics of baking.. What kind of changes does baking bring about? Think of Physics.. texture, shape, volume, smell..
S: It firms up.. has a crunch.. raises a bit .. darkens and has a nice flavour..
M: Let’s dig in and see the magic of ingredients ..
The basic ingredient is flour. When it is wetted, it becomes all sticky.. Sugar provides the taste. When heated, it melts causing the spread and it also browns. Butter has a nice taste and helps in providing heat in the cookie.
And eggs have the protein. Like an omlette, it firms up on heating. Egg, Butter and milk provide the water needed for making the dough. A tiny bit of baking powder is needed. It reacts with the acidic components and releases gases. This help in raising the cookies and making them light.
And the cookies are cut or shaped and placed in the oven all ready to be baked.
S: Ahh.. Quite a bit of physics and chemistry..
M: On the topic of flours.. traditionally bleached wheat flour is used as it mixes so well and gives perfect shapes and textures. On the other hand, it is high in glutin and not very flavourful by itself.. There are so many flours and Indian recipes based on them.. I would like to convert them into baked recipes..
S: Oh really?
M: Look into these wonderful grains and the flours.. Feel the difference in colours and textures..
Here comes my experiments. Wholesome Almond cookies with an effect of eggyolk glazing.. Just like the Instagram picture effects Eh?
And Healthy oatmeal raisin walnut Cookie.. There is no flour in this recipe.. Using oatmeal directly.
And the ultra thin lace cookies.. The sugar and butter combo just melts and caramalises over the almond chunks.
These biscottis are amazing. Loaded with nuts and chocolate, they have no butter or oil which makes them very crisp and hard.. Perfect to dunk with hot chocolate and coffee. Slight change in ingredients and it changes the composition.
When you kids were younger, you would love ginger bread and ninja shaped cookies.. Ginger provides a great flavour..
Some inspiration from Indian sweets. Besan laddoo, Sunnunda laddoo, Godhum Gottam..Now that we understand this baking magic a bit.. here comes the baked versions of these sweets.. Loaded with the flavours of pista badam kesar and saffron..and no egg no baking powder
When mama was in high school, she had a school trip to an Agricultural University. End of the day, she received a small booklet of cookie recipes that she treasured in those days. And she hoped to do some baking when she grows big.
Cooking and Baking is so much about combinations and experimentation.. Hope you enjoyed this peek into the cookie land of combinations..
