COOKIE SHEETS

Q: What’s the difference between a cookie sheet and a jelly roll pan?

A: A cookie sheet has no lip on three of its sides. A jelly roll pan has edges on all four sides and is meant for baking roll or sheet cakes.

Q: I only have a jelly roll pan. Can I bake cookies on it?

A: No problem. The best thing is to turn it bake the cookies on an upside down pan. That way the air flows as if they were being baked on a cookie sheet. Just be extra careful taking them out of the oven as they are more difficult to get a grip on.

MILK

Q: I don’t have buttermilk. Is there a good substitute?

A: Sure. Think of it as soured milk. You can substitute real sour milk, or milk with a touch of vinegar or lemon juice added.

Q: What’s Half & Half?

A: It’s a combination of cream and milk.

Usually it can be used in place of light cream in recipes.

NUTS

Q: Why does my recipe call for toasting the nuts?

A: When nuts are toasted their flavor becomes more pronounced so it’s always a good idea.

Q: When I grind nuts they become a paste. Is that okay?

A: It’s okay, but not optimum. Next time you grind nuts, take a little of the sugar or flour called for in the recipe and add it to the nuts. It will help prevent them turning into a paste. Also, process the nuts less and they will not turn into a paste.

OTHER

Q: I always bake cookies for the amount of time specified in the recipe but they always seem to bake faster and get very brown. Do you know what’s going on?

A: The most common reason for this is that you are using dark colored baking sheets. Most recipes are developed using light colored cookie sheets. If yours are dark, turn down the oven temperature by 25 degrees and bake about the same amount of time.

Q: How do I make crispy chocolate chip cookies?

A: There are a couple things that will result in crisper chocolate chip cookies.

• Use all granulated sugar in place of brown sugar. Brown sugar retains moisture.
• Reduce the oven temperature and bake the cookies a minute or two longer.
• Make sure your dough is at room temperature.
• Flatten the cookie out on the cookie sheet.

Q: What is the best way to store cookies that have already been baked? How long do they last?

A: Store soft cookies together in airtight containers.

Store crisp cookies in containers with loose fitting lids.

If you store crisp and soft cookies together the soft will harden and the crisp cookies will get soft.

As for how long they will last, it is dependent on the specific cookie. Generally speaking, cookies are fine for about a week.

Try freezing. Since cookies are so small they will defrost very quickly and last much longer – up to a year.

Q: My cookies don’t seem to get a lovely golden color on the bottom of them. Any ideas?

A: It could be you are not baking them long enough or that you are using insulated cookie sheets.

Q: My cookie cutter sticks after cutting out a few cookies. Any pointers?

A: Sure, keep a small bowl or custard cup of flour next to you and dip the cutter into the flour after cutting out a few cookies. If it still sticks, then wipe any dough off that may be sticking to the cookie cutter. If it still sticks, your dough is too soft and needs a little more flour. Add it in very small increments.

Q: My dough is sticking to the rolling pin. What can I do?

A: There are a number of things that you can do:

• Roll the dough between sheets of waxed paper.
• Roll the dough between sheets of plastic wrap.
• Flour your rolling pin.
• Use a rolling pin cover and flour that.
• Add a little flour to your dough.

Q: My cookies always seem to take longer than the recipe says they will, what’s up with that?

A: I’d check your oven temperature. Oven thermometers are easy to use and not expensive. If your oven is running slow, then you can turn it up to make up for the difference, or call in a repair man to recalibrate the thermostat.