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Cookie Troubles: Understanding Common Baking Issues

JS: There’s a lot to discuss here.

SU: Justine, Justine, Justine. The bright side is Jesse is here with insights, and he’s even authored a cookie book, ensuring expert guidance for everyone listening.

JS: My initial reaction is, “I suspect the flour measurement is the problem.” It’s intriguing to learn that you’ve weighed your ingredients. Typically, when dealing with cookies that spread too much or appear misshapen, the first culprit is often improper flour measurement—particularly scooping straight from the bag, which compacts the flour, rather than using a more careful method like spooning it into the cup and leveling it off.

SU: Like dipping your measuring cup directly into the flour bag.

JS: Exactly! If you weighed the flour, that’s a great start. Spoon measuring can work too, provided you level it carefully.

SU: Right, leveling off the top is key.

JS: Or it could also relate to baking temperature, which is crucial for cookie spread. Many people ask me whether chilling the dough is necessary because they’ve heard it improves flavor. My advice is to stick with the recipe’s instructions.

SU: It’s clear you have strong feelings about this.

JS: I wouldn’t alter the dough’s shape or temperature unless specifically mentioned in the recipe. Instead of searching online for fixes, I recommend finding solutions within the given recipe or trying another one altogether.

SU: Understood.

JS: Honestly, it seems likely there’s a flour-related issue here.

SU: That’s an interesting perspective.

JS: What are your thoughts on this, Shilpa?

SU: After noting that Justine has tried weighing her ingredients, I’m considering whether the oven temperature could be the problem.

JS: We’re talking about her specific oven here…

SU: Exactly.

JS: Right.

SU: Since she mentioned the cookies appear done on top but are hollow and undercooked on the bottom, it could suggest the oven is running hotter than it should.

JS: Or perhaps it’s set to convection mode.

SU: Yes, that makes sense.

JS: Convection ovens circulate hot air, which can cause the exterior of baked goods to brown quickly while leaving the insides undercooked. In Justine’s case, the cookies might look perfect on the surface, yet be raw inside. It would be wise for her to check her oven settings. Most convection ovens allow toggling the fan on and off.

SU: So, the convection setting could be the culprit.

JS: Exactly. It’s best to bake without convection unless explicitly stated in the recipe, which is rare.

SU: Do you think Justine’s assertion that using brown sugar leads to chewier cookies is accurate?

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