On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 13:52:19 -0800
Dave Bell > wrote:

> I am specifically having a problem with spelt flour, but perhaps this is
> something common to all flours, that someone can diagnose for me:
>
> Almost any recipe that I have tried (except for shortbreads) have turned
> into "lace cookies". A simple oatmeal cookie (see below) is a great
> example. They simply melt, spread, merge tgether, and bake up as paper
> thin, lacy, sugar puddles. Good, but *not* the intended plump, chewy
> cookie I was trying for.
>
> Anything specific I may be doing wrong? I made two substitutions, as
> noted below. I prefer not using margarine, and unbleached white spelt has
> no acid content to speak of, so I generally use mostly or all baking
> powder.


I'm guessing that whoever came up with the recipe really meant
"low-calorie spread" when they said "margarine". Otherwise, there's a heck
of a lot of fat in these.

Butter is no less than 80% fat, by law. So is Margarine, but through
sneaky mind control tactics, the 60% fat 'spread' makers have fooled you
into believing that their project is margarine, when in fact the box says
no such thing.

Drop a couple tablespoons of butter, replace with, oh, lets say milk.

I also wouldn't be surprised if someone transcribed 'one stick' as 'one
cup'. But it's sorta telling that there's no liquid added to the recipe.

Not following you on the soda issue, so I won't address it. I've never
wanted to use spelt for anything so I've never investigated it's
properties.

At least, since you appear to be posting out of bayarea.net I'm guessing
you don't have an altitude issue to contend with.