For F3: Episode 4 we decided to try be classy and make iconic Chocolate Chip Cookies using this recipe from the NY Times
See how we made them our own!
Sophie:
Expertise: Intermediate (but I bake a LOT so these cookies had nothing on me)
Ease: Super easy.
Customizing: I prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate so I decided to go half and half milk / dark chocolate when I made mine. I don’t want to boast, but I think it made them extra delicious.
Repeatability: I don’t think I would make these again simply because I don’t personally love salt and sweet mixed together. It’s either one or the other for me. It was definitely a hit with the friends and family though, and I have to admit they were fairly delicious.
Hadas:
Expertise: I’m a noob at baking because I’m impatient…
Ease: These were pretty easy to make as long as you measured correctly and had the ingredients.
Customizing: OK! So I divided the batter in four: made one batch without chips, one with non dairy chips, one with white chocolate pieces, and one with popping chocolate pieces. I also reduced the sugar, added cinnamon, and I used flax according to this recipe.
Repeatability: Well, my mother thought the cookies tasted “American,” her definition “I can taste the baking powder”… and my father really liked the chipless ones, which is a big win because NO ONE EATS WHAT I MAKE! I liked ’em, but the popping chocolates didn’t pop after baking, unfortunately. The cookies themselves were good and crispy on the outside and super soft on the inside. Loved!
Melissa’s Nutritional Tidbit: Flaxseed is a type of seed that epitomizes the phrase, “Good things come in small packages.” This tiny seed contains Omega 3 fatty acids, which are good fats that we need in our bodies. Omega 3’s are necessary for a healthy heart and brain. Flaxseeds also contain fiber and lignans. Lignans are phytochemicals with protective benefits against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. You can add ground flaxseed to most dishes or meals, including cereal (hot or cold), smoothies, soups, breads, etc to attain these nutrients.
Cindy:
Expertise: I bake all the time, but I never follow the rules.
Ease: Easy enough that I could do it (with tweaks) while on a ton of Benadryl.
Customizing: Ok, so I was terrifickly sick when I made these (is terrifickly a word? It is now). And I had no patience for things like measuring, or remembering that I was out of brown sugar. So: I used about 3 2/3 cups of all purpose flour (not sure where to buy bread flour), subbed regular sugar and maple syrup for brown sugar, subbed canola oil for butter (didn’t want dairy and am allergic to most margerines, didn’t feel like shopping around), and made them into cakes not cookies, because my oven always burns cookies. Oh, and I used “Enjoy Life” chocolate chunks because I couldn’t find the requisite discs, and Enjoy Life is INCREDIBLE.
Repeatability: I haven’t tasted more than a bite yet. They’re a little on the sweet side, but that makes sense since I dumped in maple syrup and a ton of sugar. Serving them to guests this weekend, so we’ll see. It was easy enough, so I’d probably do it again. Maybe follow the recipe more strictly. Maybe not.
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