stress baking during self-quarantine use these tips
#social-distancing #stress-baking #self-isolation #cooking-tip
We know that this pandemic has changed our lives in a matter of days. For now, the most important thing for all of us to do is to stay home, practise social distancing, and stay healthy.
Now is a good time to pick up some old hobbies or start a new one, since we are stuck indoors all the time. This is the perfect time to try some new baking, juicing recipes. Baking is one of the most healthy stress-relieving activities indoor, who wouldn’t want to watch Netflix with gourmet cookie scented floating around in your living room?
We will be sharing with you a serious of baking techniques to help you be the best #stayhome cook during this harsh time. And most importantly have fun!
Here are Ventray’s Favourite Cookie Baking Techniques
Mixing
Creaming Using Stand Mixer
Adding softened butter and sugar to your stand mixer, using medium speed, mix until ingredients are creamy, pale and fluffy.
Then you add in eggs to the mixture (always add egg one at a time), followed by dry ingredients. Toppings are always added into the mixture last.
Creaming method accomplishes two things: (1) makes the butter malleable, this allows the other ingredients to blend in more easily.
(2)Sugar crystals act as an extra beater, incorporate air into butter, these air pockets will expand during the baking process.
Reverse Creaming
When you want tender but sturdy cookies (like the ones sold in your local bakery), you also want a minimal rise and flat top. This is also what you want for your holiday cookies, or any cookie you intend to decorate and glaze.
Start by combining all the dry ingredients, butter coats the flour particles, minimizing gluten development for a tender, crumbly texture. Since the butter is not mixed with sugar, it creates fewer air pockets, which leads to less rise and sturdier cookie.
By Hand
Melted butter helps to create chewy cookies. Once butter is melted, the water in it can freely interact with the flour to develop gluten (this gives the cookie a better chewy taste).
Stir together melted butter with dry ingredients, use your hands to vigorously mix the ingredients in a bowl.
