You see, there was this cookie ...
Martha Stewart is not someone who has ever really been on my radar, as far as testing recipes. Quite honestly, I find her intimidating since everything she does seems so perfect. I just assume I'll never be able to duplicate any of her dishes with any kind of success.
A few weeks ago I was searching for a chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe (my crew likes soft cookies) and I landed on Martha's Stewart's recipe. The ingredients list and instructions seemed straightforward enough, so I thought I could replicate it. Indeed, I did.
Not only were they easy to make, they have become my family's new favorite cookie. Achieving this success with her recipe compelled me to check out three of her baking books from my local library, one of which was a book completely dedicated to cookies.
I was like a kid in a candy store, and was eager to try something else now that I had overcome my Martha fear. After days of deliberation I decided on her Best Ever Sandwich Cookie recipe. I was just sure it was not only going to work, but possibly even be a way to make a homemade Oreo (judging strictly from the picture).
On the day of the bake, I made sure all ingredients were at room temperature, all measurements had been taken, bowls set up, oven preheated, and baking sheets prepared. I was ready to go!
Now, let me back up for just a second ... the day prior to my making a recipe choice I was reading the front section of the book and the words "follow recipes exactly" jumped out at me. Of course following the recipe exactly is important for any good bake--not that it is something I'm very good at doing. So when it came time to assemble the ingredients I was very careful to measure exactly, add items in their proper order, and follow what I was told to do to the letter.
That is, until it came time to actually "scoop" the batter onto the baking sheet.
Her recipe called for a 1-1.4" scoop. Until that moment, I had never measured my little scoop. So in an effort to be diligent about this bake, I whipped out a ruler and it turns out my scoop is 1-1/2" inches. I sincerely did not think this was going to be a big deal. That is, not until it came time to flatten the cookies out.
And as for the flattening stage, this too was something that I thought would be relatively easy. I used a flat bottom brandy glass to press them down, only to find getting them to 1/8" thickness was not going to be an easy. Pressing the glass down was nerve racking, and I was just sure the glass would break in my hand before I had pressed them small enough, so I ended up making them a bit taller than 1/8". I figured, I had followed every other aspect of the recipe, what could it hurt if I was a little off on this?
So long story short, I ended up with this:
When it was suppose to look like this:
I essentially made the world's largest sandwich cookie. (Seriously, you can't really tell it from the picture, but these guys were massive.)
I had also found it difficult to tell whether they were done because they puffed up, so I ended up over baking them a bit. However, I did not discover this fact until I had finished assembling them and took my first bite.
My daughter tried to show her support for my efforts and happily volunteered to eat one. About five minutes later she brought it back and explained how she couldn't eat it. The poor thing has a loose tooth and said "This isn't exactly a good cookie for people with loose teeth."
I think that pretty much says it all.
Baking can be a heartbreaking hobby. But when you fall down, you must get up.
Now go, play with your food.
A few weeks ago I was searching for a chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe (my crew likes soft cookies) and I landed on Martha's Stewart's recipe. The ingredients list and instructions seemed straightforward enough, so I thought I could replicate it. Indeed, I did.
Not only were they easy to make, they have become my family's new favorite cookie. Achieving this success with her recipe compelled me to check out three of her baking books from my local library, one of which was a book completely dedicated to cookies.
I was like a kid in a candy store, and was eager to try something else now that I had overcome my Martha fear. After days of deliberation I decided on her Best Ever Sandwich Cookie recipe. I was just sure it was not only going to work, but possibly even be a way to make a homemade Oreo (judging strictly from the picture).
On the day of the bake, I made sure all ingredients were at room temperature, all measurements had been taken, bowls set up, oven preheated, and baking sheets prepared. I was ready to go!
Now, let me back up for just a second ... the day prior to my making a recipe choice I was reading the front section of the book and the words "follow recipes exactly" jumped out at me. Of course following the recipe exactly is important for any good bake--not that it is something I'm very good at doing. So when it came time to assemble the ingredients I was very careful to measure exactly, add items in their proper order, and follow what I was told to do to the letter.
That is, until it came time to actually "scoop" the batter onto the baking sheet.
Her recipe called for a 1-1.4" scoop. Until that moment, I had never measured my little scoop. So in an effort to be diligent about this bake, I whipped out a ruler and it turns out my scoop is 1-1/2" inches. I sincerely did not think this was going to be a big deal. That is, not until it came time to flatten the cookies out.
And as for the flattening stage, this too was something that I thought would be relatively easy. I used a flat bottom brandy glass to press them down, only to find getting them to 1/8" thickness was not going to be an easy. Pressing the glass down was nerve racking, and I was just sure the glass would break in my hand before I had pressed them small enough, so I ended up making them a bit taller than 1/8". I figured, I had followed every other aspect of the recipe, what could it hurt if I was a little off on this?
So long story short, I ended up with this:
When it was suppose to look like this:
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| Photo courtesy of MarthaStewart.com |
I essentially made the world's largest sandwich cookie. (Seriously, you can't really tell it from the picture, but these guys were massive.)
I had also found it difficult to tell whether they were done because they puffed up, so I ended up over baking them a bit. However, I did not discover this fact until I had finished assembling them and took my first bite.
My daughter tried to show her support for my efforts and happily volunteered to eat one. About five minutes later she brought it back and explained how she couldn't eat it. The poor thing has a loose tooth and said "This isn't exactly a good cookie for people with loose teeth."
I think that pretty much says it all.
Baking can be a heartbreaking hobby. But when you fall down, you must get up.
Now go, play with your food.
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