Johnson, Shante Chocolate Chip Cookie Lab Report

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Saint Leo University *

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125

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Chemistry

Date

Jan 9, 2024

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Uploaded by AmbassadorGrouse3234

Running head: TO BAKE THE PERFECT COOKIE 1 Manipulating the Chemistry of Cookie Components to Bake “The Perfect Cookie” Shante Johnson Saint Leo University SCI-125SC-OL01

TO BAKE THE PERFECT COOKIE 2 Manipulating the Chemistry of Cookie Components to Bake “The Perfect Cookie” Good baking takes cues from chemistry to produce the most delectable treats. A chocolate chip cookie, a classic despite its myriad forms, exemplifies this reliance on the chemistry of baking. While individual preference must be considered when discussing the “perfect” cookie, for the purposes of experimentation, desirable features can usually be categorized as puff, tenderness, color, and sweet taste. The protein content of flours can help or hinder the formation of gluten, affecting the chewiness and texture of the baked good, while brown sugar can yield an appealing color via the chemistry of darkening reactions like caramelization and Maillard reactions. This lab explored the inclusion of specific ingredients to result in a superior cookie that exemplified the beloved classic. It was hypothesized that if cake flour replaced all-purpose flour, then low protein would inhibit gluten formation; if brown sugar was used instead of white sugar, then the cookie would attain a mouthwatering golden shade, and if baking soda was used instead of baking powder, then more air would yield a puffier cookie. Through the distinct impacts of these ingredients, the experiment intended to synthesize the perfect cookie recipe. Materials and Methods  Medium and large mixing bowls, sieve or wire strainer, hand or electric beater, baking sheet(s), parchment paper, cooling rack The following ingredients should be halved equally between the control and variable recipes:  1 1/3 tbsp (4 tsp) butter  ½ tsp salt  ½ tsp baking powder  6 tbsp shortening  1/8 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar

TO BAKE THE PERFECT COOKIE 3  2/3 of an egg (2 tbsp beaten egg)  2 tsp vanilla  2/3 cup chocolate chips For the control recipe: ½ cup all-purpose flour For the variable recipe: ½ cup cake flour The oven was preheated to 375°F while the control batter was prepared. Half of the flour, salt, and baking powder were sifted into a separate bowl. Butter, shortening, and sugar were beaten until a creamy mixture had been achieved, to which egg was beaten into, and then vanilla extract. Residue on the side of the bowl was scraped periodically to ensure that beating combined all ingredients completely and consistently. Chocolate chips were incorporated last, and with only enough agitation to ensure even distribution. To ensure relatively comparable sized cookies, each was one rounded tablespoon of dough. The first batch of cookies was baked on parchment paper until their edges began to brown, then removed and allowed to cool on a wire cooling rack. The process was repeated for the variable recipe, changing only the type of flour for cake flour. When both batches of cookies were completely cooled, cookies from both recipes were measured for spread (width) and puff (height), in inches. Tenderness, color, and taste were rated and recorded on a 1 to 10 scale. Classmates contributed ratings for cookies baked with other variables changed in the recipes: specifically brown sugar in place of white sugar, baking soda in place of baking powder, egg white and whole milk in place of whole eggs, and margarine in place of butter. Results 1 The results indicate that deviations from the control recipe yielded mixed results, though all variations impacted rankings statistically significantly. Substitutes or alterations to the protein

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TO BAKE THE PERFECT COOKIE 4 component, namely egg white or whole milk, negatively impacted the tenderness and color as a result of protein’s role in facilitating Maillard reactions. Margarine also performed quite poorly, receiving the lowest taste ranking outside of the basic control recipe. Brown sugar emerged as the most well-liked variable, resulting in enhanced color and taste through caramelization reactions. Cake flour also imparted an expected tenderness due to its low protein content. With the highest puff ranking by far, baking soda highlighted the distinct importance of leavening agents in achieving an attractive and delicious cookie. Table 1. Ratings of Cookie Recipes Control Cake Flour Brown Sugar Egg White Baking Soda Margarine Whole Milk Spread 2.75” 3” 2.9” 2.5” 2.25” - 2” Puff 1.125” .75” .75” 0.5” 1.75” .75” .75” Tenderness 5 7 7 4 6 5 5 Color 2 3 7 3 6 5 3 Taste 4 7 8 5 7 4 6 Discussion. The hypothesis that the characteristics of the perfect classic chocolate chip cookie would be attained through the substitutions of cake flour, brown sugar, and baking soda was strongly supported by the results. The use of cake flour demonstrated the impacts of protein content of flour on the texture of cooking, resulting in a tender, chewy bite. Brown sugar impacted both color and taste by the addition of reducing sugars that facilitated caramelization and Maillard reactions. Baking soda as the leavening agent supported the cookies height and generally elevated the tasting experience. It is not clear whether all of these variations would positively or negatively interact with one another were they to be combined into a new cookie recipe.

TO BAKE THE PERFECT COOKIE 5 Since the delicate and chemistry-dependent nature of baking requires meticulous control over all ingredients to yield the necessary chemical reactions, special attention should be paid to inconsistences that may have resulted in less than standard responses. A lack of precision in measuring the dropped dough, for example, may have impacted the spread and puff ratings of each student’s cookies. This lab needed to be repeated after an old sieve failed to completely sift the dry ingredients, yielding crystallized, thin cookies. Further standardization of baking times, materials and the amount of cookie dough per cookie could enhance the reproducibility of results. In addition, since not all substitutions in baking can be made at a 1:1 ratio, additional testing could account for compensations to other ingredients. Combinations of multiple changed variables could be conducted in a controlled manner to attempt to surmise the “perfect” cookie recipe.