Learning Project/Kade’s Kitchen: C is for Cookie!!!

During week 3, thanks to Peter S’s supportive comment, I decided to try baking for the first time in forever. The world of baking is vast, like cooking, and my sweet tooth overpowered all my thoughts on this learning project in Kade’s Kitchen. So, with Brynn’s friendliness and suggestion, I decided to channel my inner cookie monster and make Chocolate Chip Cookies! I would recommend this website to anyone who wants a simple way to find BAKING recipes because the layout is straightforward and inspires me for my site. You know, a person can trust Sally instead of using the quick format of a Facebook short like last week. If you enjoy videos, she has a whole section of them, and they are great for all types of bakers! 

The recipe is on Sally’s Baking Recipies, and here is the recipe on my blog without having to look online for it:

• 2 and 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (Spooned and Leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (170g / 12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted & cooled 5 minutes*
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks 

This is my step-by-step reaction to this recipe and everything I did for it. I started by mixing all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Due to all the components, I thought I was in a lab experimenting, like in a chemistry class. Then, combining the wet ingredients with the dry ones confirmed to me that baking is scientific. I used a stand mixture for the previous instructions, which is a valuable form of kitchen technology. Next, I had to wait for the cookie dough to chill and firm up overnight because patience is key to learning the culinary world.

It was Monday night, and I took them out of my refrigerator for 10 minutes (to bring them to room temperature). So, I got the cookie sheets and a scooper to scoop the dough out of the bowl. Operation Cookie was underway, and I shaped them to be small because a flat is unsuitable for a cookie. While doing that, I warmed my oven to  325°F (163°C)! I cooked each batch for 12-14 minutes, with time to cool on the baking sheet and a wire rack. I have cookies for my busy week and will make them again because they are so yummy! I think you should try this recipe, especially if you are having a bad day since it will cheer you up and put a warm smile on your face!

Before I say my plan for next week, I will tell my audience the history of the Chocolate Chip Cookie. It was created in 1938 by Toll House restaurant owner/baker Ruth Wakefield in Whitman, Massachusetts, United States of America. Legend says it was made by testing recipes and adding small chunks of chocolate to the cookie dough mixture. In all, it combines a 7th-century dessert with the introduction of sugar in Persia (the cookie), the production of chocolate bars in the 18th-century United Kingdom, and the previously mentioned American creation during the 19th century. I hope you found these facts interesting and that I did not bore you to death with this little section in my blog!

This recipe was perfect for the second week and showcased a different attitude toward baking compared to cooking. These thoughts can be summed up with this quote: “As the saying goes, cooking is an art, baking is a science”—John Thomas. I enjoyed the moulding of the raw cookie; it was almost relaxing with the chilled sensation of a Play-Doh mixture. Also, watching the reaction in the oven to where they became soft and chewy was interesting! I want a new cooking recipe with something different and a more intricate variety. I like the challenge this project has done for me and the growth mindset I have developed in my kitchen. If the recipe tastes excellent, it will succeed in my book! I can’t wait for my next time baking! My next adventure will be using YouTube because I already watch it daily, and the site has a multitude of knowledge of it. I will still gladly take suggestions from commenters/the audience for recipes or platforms to use! Thanks again to Peter S and Brynn! Have a terrific week, and remember always to be yourself!