Anybody have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies that retain a
soft texture after baking?
Thanks

> wrote in message newsDlob.229262$9l5.33705@pd7tw2no...
> Anybody have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies that retain a
> soft texture after baking?
> Thanks

Here is a link to three variation of the cookie that result in different
textures. Try the "chewey"
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show..._17114,00.html

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003, Vox Humana wrote:

>
> > wrote in message newsDlob.229262$9l5.33705@pd7tw2no...
> > Anybody have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies that retain a
> > soft texture after baking?
> > Thanks
>
> Here is a link to three variation of the cookie that result in different
> textures. Try the "chewey"
> http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show..._17114,00.html

I love Alton Brown's show Good Eats, although he has been getting a little
weird lately. I saw that his recipe calls for kosher salt. Why does he
always want kosher salt? Is it because it is pure salt?

I was surprised to find out that some salt has other ingredients. I've
even seen a salt in the US that has sugar in it. I'm assuming that kosher
salt is just his way of ensuring it is pure sodium chloride (NaCl). Am I
right? Or is there some other reason?

--
Send e-mail to: darrell at cs dot toronto dot edu
Don't send e-mail to

"Darrell Grainger" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 31 Oct 2003, Vox Humana wrote:
>
> >
> > > wrote in message
newsDlob.229262$9l5.33705@pd7tw2no...
> > > Anybody have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies that
retain a
> > > soft texture after baking?
> > > Thanks
> >
> > Here is a link to three variation of the cookie that result in different
> > textures. Try the "chewey"
> >
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show..._17114,00.html
>
> I love Alton Brown's show Good Eats, although he has been getting a little
> weird lately. I saw that his recipe calls for kosher salt. Why does he
> always want kosher salt? Is it because it is pure salt?
>
> I was surprised to find out that some salt has other ingredients. I've
> even seen a salt in the US that has sugar in it. I'm assuming that kosher
> salt is just his way of ensuring it is pure sodium chloride (NaCl). Am I
> right? Or is there some other reason?
>

I agree that the show is becoming more bazaar. It seems to be the Food
Network way: style above substance. I use regular salt when I bake because
it has a smaller particle size than Kosher salt and distributes better and
doesn't get left behind in a sieve like Kosher salt. Most recipes are
formulated for regular table salt. If you want the same amount of Kosher
salt by weight you would have to use 1.5 times more Morton's Kosher salt and
2 times more Diamond Kosher salt than specified in the recipe. This is
because the different crystal sizes in each kind of salt pack together with
different densities.

Kosher salt doesn't have iodine or anti-caking agents added. I really doubt
that either of these things would be critical to a recipe in the amounts
used. Of course you can always get non-iodized table salt.

"Vox Humana" > writes:

>From: "Vox Humana" >
>Newsgroups: rec.food.baking
>Subject: Request - Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
>Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 16:10:34 GMT
>
>"Darrell Grainger" > wrote:
>>
>> . . . I saw that his recipe calls for kosher salt. Why does he
>> always want kosher salt? Is it because it is pure salt?
>>
>> I was surprised to find out that some salt has other ingredients. I've
>> even seen a salt in the US that has sugar in it. I'm assuming that kosher
>> salt is just his way of ensuring it is pure sodium chloride (NaCl). Am I
>> right? Or is there some other reason?
>
> . . . I use regular salt when I bake because it has a smaller particle
>size than Kosher salt and distributes better and doesn't get left behind in
>a sieve like Kosher salt. Most recipes are formulated for regular table
>salt. If you want the same amount of Kosher salt by weight you would have
>to use 1.5 times more Morton's Kosher salt and 2 times more Diamond Kosher
>salt than specified in the recipe. This is because the different crystal
>sizes in each kind of salt pack together with different densities.
>
>Kosher salt doesn't have iodine or anti-caking agents added. I really doubt
>that either of these things would be critical to a recipe in the amounts
>used. Of course you can always get non-iodized table salt.

One of the other attributes of "kosher" salt is that the crystals are
irregularly shaped with lots of nooks and crannies. This provides a
larger surface area for water and other liquids to be absorbed.

See the excellent electron microscope photo on the Boston Museum of Science
web page at http://www.mos.org/sln/sem/ksalt.html

Keep in mind that this salt is called "kosher" salt because it is used in
the preparation of kosher meat. One of the religious requirements of meat
being kosher is that the blood is removed. This is done by using salt to
absorb the blood from the meat -- and kosher salt's granuals are optimized
for this purpose.

These irregular shaped crystals are useful for recipes which use salt on
the surface -- sprinkled on, stuck on, etc. If the salt is to be desolved
into the recipe, the shape of the grains makes no difference except in
its effect on measurement as noted by Vox Humana above.

Cheers,
The Old Bear

"The Old Bear" > wrote in message
news
> "Vox Humana" > writes:
>
> >From: "Vox Humana" >
> >Newsgroups: rec.food.baking
> >Subject: Request - Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
> >Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 16:10:34 GMT
> >
> >"Darrell Grainger" > wrote:
> >>
> >> . . . I saw that his recipe calls for kosher salt. Why does he
> >> always want kosher salt? Is it because it is pure salt?
> >>
> >> I was surprised to find out that some salt has other ingredients. I've
> >> even seen a salt in the US that has sugar in it. I'm assuming that
kosher
> >> salt is just his way of ensuring it is pure sodium chloride (NaCl). Am
I
> >> right? Or is there some other reason?
> >
> > . . . I use regular salt when I bake because it has a smaller
particle
> >size than Kosher salt and distributes better and doesn't get left behind
in
> >a sieve like Kosher salt. Most recipes are formulated for regular table
> >salt. If you want the same amount of Kosher salt by weight you would
have
> >to use 1.5 times more Morton's Kosher salt and 2 times more Diamond
Kosher
> >salt than specified in the recipe. This is because the different crystal
> >sizes in each kind of salt pack together with different densities.
> >
> >Kosher salt doesn't have iodine or anti-caking agents added. I really
doubt
> >that either of these things would be critical to a recipe in the amounts
> >used. Of course you can always get non-iodized table salt.
>
> One of the other attributes of "kosher" salt is that the crystals are
> irregularly shaped with lots of nooks and crannies. This provides a
> larger surface area for water and other liquids to be absorbed.
>
> See the excellent electron microscope photo on the Boston Museum of
Science
> web page at http://www.mos.org/sln/sem/ksalt.html
>
> Keep in mind that this salt is called "kosher" salt because it is used in
> the preparation of kosher meat. One of the religious requirements of meat
> being kosher is that the blood is removed. This is done by using salt to
> absorb the blood from the meat -- and kosher salt's granuals are optimized
> for this purpose.
>
> These irregular shaped crystals are useful for recipes which use salt on
> the surface -- sprinkled on, stuck on, etc. If the salt is to be desolved
> into the recipe, the shape of the grains makes no difference except in
> its effect on measurement as noted by Vox Humana above.
>
> Cheers,
> The Old Bear
>
>

But really, even though not all salt is certified by an agency as kosher,
there is nothing to make salt - no matter the size of the grain "un-kosher".
I feel chefs refer to the larger grain of the salt when they call for kosher
salt. I mean, why else would one call for kosher salt in a pork or
shellfish recipe?

Jewish cook in Oregon,
tgt

"Vox Humana" > wrote in message
...
>
> > I love Alton Brown's show Good Eats, although he has been getting a
little
> > weird lately. I saw that his recipe calls for kosher salt. Why does he
> > always want kosher salt? Is it because it is pure salt?
> >
> > I was surprised to find out that some salt has other ingredients. I've
> > even seen a salt in the US that has sugar in it. I'm assuming that
kosher
> > salt is just his way of ensuring it is pure sodium chloride (NaCl). Am I
> > right? Or is there some other reason?
> >
>
> I agree that the show is becoming more bazaar. It seems to be the Food
> Network way: style above substance.

Yes, most of the new shows seem to be like that. Although, I'm mighty happy
that Michael Chiarella has a new show on the Food Network. He's been a local
treasure here in No. Cal. for years. I adore him.

I use regular salt when I bake because
> it has a smaller particle size than Kosher salt and distributes better and
> doesn't get left behind in a sieve like Kosher salt. Most recipes are
> formulated for regular table salt. If you want the same amount of Kosher
> salt by weight you would have to use 1.5 times more Morton's Kosher salt
and
> 2 times more Diamond Kosher salt than specified in the recipe. This is
> because the different crystal sizes in each kind of salt pack together
with
> different densities.
>
> Kosher salt doesn't have iodine or anti-caking agents added. I really
doubt
> that either of these things would be critical to a recipe in the amounts
> used. Of course you can always get non-iodized table salt.
>
I use a particular French salt for everything. It is finer that regular
table salt and has a better flavor.

Martha

>

"MH" > wrote in message
...
> "Vox Humana" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > > I love Alton Brown's show Good Eats, although he has been getting a
> little
> > > weird lately. I saw that his recipe calls for kosher salt. Why does he
> > > always want kosher salt? Is it because it is pure salt?
> > >
> > > I was surprised to find out that some salt has other ingredients. I've
> > > even seen a salt in the US that has sugar in it. I'm assuming that
> kosher
> > > salt is just his way of ensuring it is pure sodium chloride (NaCl). Am
I
> > > right? Or is there some other reason?
> > >
> >
> > I agree that the show is becoming more bazaar. It seems to be the Food
> > Network way: style above substance.
>
> Yes, most of the new shows seem to be like that. Although, I'm mighty
happy
> that Michael Chiarella has a new show on the Food Network. He's been a
local
> treasure here in No. Cal. for years. I adore him.


I haven't seen that show. I had the unfortunate experience of seeing a new
show this weekend on Food TV. The hostess was from some magazine and she was
a complete spaz. It was too painful to watch for more than 10 minutes.
There wasn't a single redeeming feature about the show. Looking at the
schedule, the show was "Good food Fast with Family Circle." What a horror!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ce

> wrote in message newsDlob.229262$9l5.33705@pd7tw2no...
> Anybody have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies that retain a
> soft texture after baking?
> Thanks
>
I had been using the 3-way chocolate chip cookie recipe that Vox recommends
for quite awhile. Then I tried the following recipe that I picked up over
on alt.cookies.yumyumyum and everyone has asked that I keep using this one.
Hope you like it.

Judy

From: LindaVE )
Subject: Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
View: Complete Thread (3 articles)
Original Format
Newsgroups: alt.cookies.yum.yum.yum
Date: 2001-02-19 16:40:09 PST

* Exported from MasterCook II *

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 96 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies Drop
Chocolate Chips
Nuts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 pkg(4 serv) instant pudding mix -- any flavor
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups walnuts -- chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl,
cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Stir in the
instant pudding until blended. Then stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the
dry ingredients and mix well. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and
nuts.
3. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto unprepared cookie sheets. Bake
for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

at Fri, 31 Oct 2003 04:34:43 GMT in <DDlob.229262$9l5.33705@pd7tw2no>,
wrote :

>Anybody have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies that retain a
>soft texture after baking?
>Thanks
>
>
>

Look on DejaNews for the recipe I posted a while back : 'Recipe: Big, Soft,
all-butter chocolate chip cookies". I've tested and perfected it.

In general, to achieve a softer texture, the key is to use a higher
proportion of eggs. A lot of people use shortening or margarine, which will
certainly soften the texture, but as I've said, this is an unnecessary
compromise. I think people end up resorting to shortening because they give
up on trying to tinker with ratios, which takes time and many tests,
especially when shortening yields the desired texture results in virtually
foolproof manner.


--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)