Well, probably not, but my son likes to say they are. And he somehow goads his friends into telling me this, as well, no doubt to encourage me to bake them more often. At any rate, it took me a long time to get this recipe right since I can't use eggs. This is actually just a version of the classic Tollhouse recipe, which is what my mom always made for us. And THOSE were the best cookies in the world!!!
The cookies above are all that remain of those I made today for Eric's ROTC family night dinner. I must say, they were yummy - especially when they were still warm from the oven!
I found a wonderful vegan website that has a video using all the ingredients I was already using, and I picked up a couple of tips there, too, like mixing the egg replacer in my Magic Bullet to mix it better and make it foamy. Here's their/my recipe:
Eric's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Earth Balance* (Earth Balance is the best, as far as I'm concerned, but you can use any other non-dairy butter/margarine)
3/4 cup granulated (white) sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I add an extra teaspoon. Just because...)
Egg Replacer for 2 eggs**
2 cups (12-ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate chips - Ghirardelli is good.
1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl.
3. Add egg replacer; gradually beat in flour mixture.
4. Stir in chips.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
6. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
*Earth Balance can be found at Publix, Whole Foods, Earth Fare, other natural health food stores.
**ENER-G Egg Replacer is a brand-name powder mixture of vegetable starches that simulates eggs in baking. It can be used in recipes calling for unbeaten eggs, egg whites beaten stiff, and egg yolks. It can be found at Earth Fare, Whole Foods, and other natural health food stores.
Click here for a video of the ladies on the website making the cookies.
Baking Tips
What makes cookies soft and chewy?
High moisture content does; so the recipe, baking time, and temperature must be adjusted to retain moisture. Binding the water in butter, eggs, and brown sugar (it contains molasses, which is 10 percent water) with flour slows its evaporation. The dough needs a little extra flour, which makes it stiffer. The stiff dough spreads less, less liquid evaporates, and the cookies are thicker.
Mass also helps cookies stay moist--big dollops of dough make softer and chewier cookies than tiny spoonfuls of dough. Bake these thick cookies for a shorter time at a high temperature to firm them quickly and minimize spreading. Most important, don't bake them too long--remove from the oven when the cookie rim is brown and at least 1/3 of the center top remains pale. The cooked centers will be soft.
Why are some cookies cakelike instead of chewy?
A little extra liquid in the cookie dough from water, egg, or milk makes the dough more elastic and adds steam as the cookies bake, making them puff more.
0 comments:
Post a Comment