Watch out for free recipes this coming November.
Q: Why does my last batch of cookies always come out the ugliest and most flat? (Monique of Makati City)
Jun Jun: This is a common occurence for most hobbyist, the basic reason is that the butter in your cookie batter has already melted. It is best to keep your cookie batter in the refrigerator while you are waiting for oven space. We usually don’t bother with this simple procedure because it is the last of the pack, but for some it could be the profit from the cost of the recipe itself. Take this advice very seriously. Sayang naman yung konting kita, diba?
Adoree: We’ve already covered this before but Monique, you might be one of the many people who just discovered our column, so for you and the many others, I will discuss this again. The secret to a well-puffed and chewy cookie is cold dough to start with. You usually form the dough into balls or mounds, and arrange them on a cookie sheet. This is done to give the dough time to set as it goes inside the oven without spreading. If your dough is already at room temperature to start with, it is already soft and as you scoop it on the cookie sheet, it can no longer maintain its shape. When put inside the oven, it had already spread out before it sets so you end up with flat cookies.
Q: It was suggested to us that the best way to make good use of our time is to mix our cookie batter, keep it in the freezer, and just bake it when we are free. This will ensure a better use of our time. When I did this, some of my cookies had a funny taste "mapakla" but when I immediately baked it, this taste did not appear. What’s wrong? (Marie of San Pablo)
Jun Jun: I have a feeling that your recipe has baking soda as a leavener. Since you stored your cookie batter, the immediate action of your baking soda was not used so it was just retained in the recipe. Baking soda when mixed with any liquid will immediately give a corresponding effect. If it is not baked, then it will just be retained in the recipe as is. That’s the reason why your cookies taste that way. When I keep my cookie batter in the freezer, I usually use baking powder since this doesn’t give the same effect as baking soda. I suggest to bake all your cookie batter after it has been mixed and just keep them in airtight containers to prolong their shelf life.
Adoree: Marie, maybe the culprit is your freezer. Is it frost-free or the no frost type? If your freezer causes the things inside it to accumulate ice around them then chances are, a distinct smell or taste has also accumulated. You also have to wrap your cookie dough tightly so that no odor will sip in. Be sure you don’t put the dough together with fresh fish and meat (unless they are also wrapped air tightly). I don’t think the funny taste is caused by the use of baking soda in your cookie dough. Jun Jun is right about baking soda being activated as soon as it is mixed so it should be baked right away and not left out to wait. But this is only true for very liquid batters. Cookie doughs contain very minimal liquid so they are exempted from this. They could actually be frozen for a few months.
Q: Can all cake layers such as sponge, chiffon, butter and coffee cakes be made into cupcakes? (Axle of San Juan)
Jun Jun: Yes, you can do that, the best way is to use muffin pan containers so that it is easier to remove after baking. Also remember to lower down oven temperature when baking cupcakes since you are baking cakes that are a lot smaller than the usual cakes it will generally be done faster than the big or regular cakes. After some time, you have to check out this cakes since they get baked at a shorter time and will also give you a different finish altogether. Cupcakes however, dry up faster than the big cakes since they are small. It has to be covered with icings and fillings so that it doesn’t dry up ulike the other cakes that have some fat on them. Cup cakes is so versatile and has become a fad here and abroad. Great icings to use are your buttercreams, whipped creams or have some mousse placed on its top.
Adoree: Yes Axle, by all means. Just note that cupcakes take a shorter time to bake as compared to regular-sized cakes. Usually, they only take around 18 to 20 minutes to bake.
Q: Do I really have to use vanilla bean as a flavoring ingredient for baked items?
Jun Jun: As Tita Maur would say, ang social mo naman, no you don’t use that unless you own the plantation – that’s very expensive. If you are using this for business please just use vanilla flavor, but if you want to splurge or you want to make it a bit special for your family or for your boss, use real vanilla extract which you can get only in the States, there is some difference and a real gourmet can detect it. Vanilla bean is only used as flavoring for custards such as crème brulee wherein it is really the star of the show or for pastry cream just to have that expensive effect. I suggest that this Christmas don’t give anything with custard, it spoils fast and splits into two during travel.
Adoree: You don’t have to. Vanilla beans are not readily available in supermarkets. Aside from that, it is also very pricey. If a recipe calls for 1 piece of vanilla bean, just substitute it with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
More of your Christmas emergency questions to be answered next time.
Keep them coming so that you can have a New Year’s treat from us……
Taste Cookbook and Wine Find
Sparkling wine
"CRICOVA"
semisweet
This sparkling vin quality has nothing to do with the cork’s shot. On the contrary, the sudden shot causes a rapid carbonic acid dimination, thus leading to a hasty wine dance extinction. When the bottle is opened shillfully, without noise, the carbonic acid dissolves gradually, thus prolonging the wine dancing process...
Natural sparkling wines produced by aditional fermentation by the Charmat method from white European winegrapes cultivated on the central wineyards of the Republic of Moldova.
Quick Cheese Fondue
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 envelope cheese
sauce mix
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
French bread
Slowly stir wine into cheese sauce mix. Add cheese and cook over low heat, stirring until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Serve in a chafing or fondue dish with chunks of French bread for dipping. Makes about 1 cup.
