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infernooo

By infernooo
in Pastry & Baking

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CanadianBakin'

CanadianBakin'

Posted
Posted
My only thoughts are that next time I will put the temperature even lower (perhaps 150C = 300F).. maybe my oven is just very hot (before anyone asks, YES I do have an oven thermometer and the oven was at the perfect temperature.. I made sure of it) and it is also an electric fan based oven.

The original recipe called for a 375 degree oven, but you have a convection oven which should usually be set about 50 degrees lower. I'd definitely try it at 300 degrees and I'd also try baking the cookies from a frozen state. But really, they look so good. I wish I could jump through the computer screen and grab them! :biggrin:

No, no, no. I also have a convection oven and use this same recipe at 375. The goal is to get the outside cooked enough to set the shape before there is too much spread, then just finish cooking through. Maybe there is not as much difference between standard and regular with a home convection oven vs. a commercial one. Lower the temp and you'll get too much spread. I'd prefer you to keep your temp and adjust your baking time if need be. Of course, every oven is different so you'll figure yours out.

That was my first thought as well. When I was baking at a coffee house, I had problems with getting the temp right. Someone on a different thread suggested keeping the temp high and it definitely worked better than lowering it.

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

Beanie

Beanie

Posted
Posted
My only thoughts are that next time I will put the temperature even lower (perhaps 150C = 300F).. maybe my oven is just very hot (before anyone asks, YES I do have an oven thermometer and the oven was at the perfect temperature.. I made sure of it) and it is also an electric fan based oven.

The original recipe called for a 375 degree oven, but you have a convection oven which should usually be set about 50 degrees lower. I'd definitely try it at 300 degrees and I'd also try baking the cookies from a frozen state. But really, they look so good. I wish I could jump through the computer screen and grab them! :biggrin:

No, no, no. I also have a convection oven and use this same recipe at 375. The goal is to get the outside cooked enough to set the shape before there is too much spread, then just finish cooking through. Maybe there is not as much difference between standard and regular with a home convection oven vs. a commercial one. Lower the temp and you'll get too much spread. I'd prefer you to keep your temp and adjust your baking time if need be. Of course, every oven is different so you'll figure yours out.

Oops. :shock: I should have re-read the original post as I forgot about the spreading problem. Agree they should be baked at higher temp from frozen state. Sorry for any confusion or misinformation :wacko: .

Ilene

JFLinLA

JFLinLA

Posted
Posted
Turns out this conversation has been timely. I just got 2 orders for chocolate chip cookies for a total of 450 - 2oz and 250 - 1oz. :blink: The first batch for this friday morning and the second for saturday morning. I have 3-year old twins and I will be working all day at my salaried job on thursday and friday so it's gonna be a bit tight for time but I'm sure I'll manage. I hate to say no when I'm just getting going. It's a good thing my girls still nap and go to bed at 7pm.

Anyways, I'll be using AB's recipe but I've only made it on a small scale before. I think I'm going to use the "ice box" cookie idea for portioning. I don't think my wrist can handle 700 scoops in such a short period of time. I'm just wondering how long I should freeze the dough before cutting? Or is it a trial and error thing? It's about 3:30pm my time and I've just put 4 - 2" rolls in the freezer. Is 2 hours OK or should it be longer? Any advice on how to do this quickly would be much appreciated. I haven't yet located a commercial kitchen to rent (although I should hear back on one soon) so it will be in my home oven. I was thinking of baking 2 sheets at a time and rotating half way through. Is this ok or should I stick to one pan at a time.

When I bake 2 pans at a time in my home convection oven, I rotate but not at half-way. More like 2/3 or 3/4 through. If I do it at half-way, I think I lose too much heat through the open dour no matter how fast I do this, the temp goes down and then I end up with the dreaded spread. By waiting longer, I find I've set the cookie shape, am finishing baking the interior and the rotating just ensures fairly even browning.

So long and thanks for all the fish.
yslee

yslee

Posted
Posted

Hello all,

I've been lurking with interest because I, too, am curious about AB's The Chewy. I have the same problem as infernooo: my cookies are "fudgy" in the middle. I'm a careful, moderately experienced home baker and I've followed this recipe to the letter, then tried using the variations described by JFLinLA et al. So I'm beginning to wonder if this is a problem of expectations: what delights you all about this "chewy" cookie? Are the edges delicately chewy, progressing to a soft middle? I think maybe I was expecting more chew than the cookie is intended to deliver. Maybe I should move on to The Thin...

Steven Blaski

Steven Blaski

Posted
Posted
Hello all,

I've been lurking with interest because I, too, am curious about AB's The Chewy. I have the same problem as infernooo: my cookies are "fudgy" in the middle. I'm a careful, moderately experienced home baker and I've followed this recipe to the letter, then tried using the variations described by JFLinLA et al. So I'm beginning to wonder if this is a problem of expectations: what delights you all about this "chewy" cookie? Are the edges delicately chewy, progressing to a soft middle? I think maybe I was expecting more chew than the cookie is intended to deliver. Maybe I should move on to The Thin...

Add me to the list of those with a fudgy-in-the-middle result with the AB recipe (if by fudgy you mean the center of the cookie was kind of raw). I had thought before reading of others' similar results that the reason why it happened to me was because I ran out of bread flour and had to substitute unbleached AP flour for half the amount (though it was King Arthur so it had a pretty high protein content nonetheless) and so maybe I should've added in a bit more flour or something. Maybe the fudginess is inherent?

Manoras

Manoras

Posted
Posted

I tried AB's recipe last night. Put the tray of scooped batter into the freezer for half an hour (couldn't wait any longer) and baked at 375. The cookies were chewy but they spread a lot, I think because I flattened them before freezing . Then I froze another scooped batch and baked it this morning for 12 minutes at 400. reducing the oven to 375 midway. The cookies didn't spread too much and are almost 1/2 an inch thick.

infernooo

infernooo

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I tried AB's recipe last night.  Put the tray of scooped batter into the freezer for half an hour (couldn't wait any longer) and baked at 375.  The cookies were chewy but they spread a lot, I think because I flattened them before freezing .  Then I froze another scooped batch and baked it this morning for 12 minutes at 400. reducing the oven to 375 midway.  The cookies didn't spread too much and are almost 1/2 an inch thick.

Hi there,

Just a few questions...

Did you use the chewy recipe?

How did they turn out? were they cooked all the way through and chewy in the middle or fudgy and raw-like?

Do you have a conventional or electric fan-based oven?

Thanks!

srhcb

srhcb

Posted
Posted

I am soooo embarrassed that I somehow added only 1 cup of flour... I must have gotten side tracked because I can't think of any other way I could possibly do that having the recipe sitting right in front of me haha!

Mice in Place! Always get your Mice in Place!

SB

:shock:

chefpeon

chefpeon

Posted
Posted (edited)
Mice in Place! Always get your Mice in Place!

MICE???????? You mean they can't just be running willy nilly all over the floor scavenging up cookie crumbs? They have to be in place? That's a lot to ask, you know. :laugh::laugh::laugh:

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist......that's the funniest spelling error I've ever seen, and I had to take advantage of it......

I'm quite sure you meant, Mise en Place........ :wink:

miceenplace.jpg

Edited by chefpeon (log)

Annie's Cake-o-Rama

Confessions of a Burned Out Pastry Chef

Beanie

Beanie

Posted
Posted
Mice in Place! Always get your Mice in Place!

MICE???????? You mean they can't just be running willy nilly all over the floor scavenging up cookie crumbs? They have to be in place? That's a lot to ask, you know. :laugh::laugh::laugh:

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist......that's the funniest spelling error I've ever seen, and I had to take advantage of it......

I'm quite sure you meant, Mise en Place........ :wink:

miceenplace.jpg

chefpeon... you are too funny!!! :biggrin:

Ilene

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