Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger
  • ~ Home ~
  • ~ What I Think ~
  • ~ What I See ~
    • Events
    • Food
    • People
    • Places
  • ~ What I Make ~
  • Blog Series
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer

Out & About #858 | The Great Cookie Box Research Endeavour

11/20/2022

0 Comments

 
The idea of partaking in a charity bake sale had emerged from positive commentary towards my ever-evolving roster of sweet creations. Conducting business did not align with my personal baking goals, for the intent was to serve as a hobbyist, an enthusiast unbound by the expectations of others - usually those less learned in the field in which they are investing.
Picture
Baking succeeded in filling the void for scientific liberation: a process demanding precision, applications of principles, and proportional awareness, yet relieved from the numerous regulations, codes, and constraints governing the high-capital infrastructure works of the public realm.
Picture
​As the holiday season looms, I began to investigate volunteer opportunities as a home baker, but found a sheer absence of events that permitted provision of baked goods followed by immediate departure. It was, after some debate (and fears surrounding burnout) that I resolved to undertake the mission as an independent campaigner. The exercise would essentially utilize all facets of business planning, without income. I quickly realized the impact of ingredient and packaging costs, along with labour time and physical deterioration of the body. As such, all proceeds (ie. earnings after deducting direct expenses only), would be donated.

Leading up to the event, test batches were prepared.
Picture
Picture
1) Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
Picture
Picture
​SK's Browniest Cookie formula was revisited for the creation of Peppermint Crinkle Cookies. About 1/2 tsp of peppermint and mint extract was added to the batter, though, in reality, it could have used a greater quantity. I had erred on the conservative side to avoid sharp bitterness in the resulting product. The festive inclusion boasted a nice tingle of the tongue and lasting aftertaste, but its potency withered over the subsequent days, likely a result of drying out.
Picture
Picture
Picture
A small batch of seven were baked in the toaster oven for sampling purposes. Comments are as follows:
  • Too chewy; brown sugar shall be reduced in next iteration, or swapped for golden yellow sugar (for a lower molasses content)
  • Too large; to combat spread, cookies shall be formed using a melon baller instead of medium-sized cookie scoop (
  • Not fudgy enough; perhaps baking in the lower third of the oven will reinstate its crisp edge and soft interior
  • Too dry; do not overbake (350 F, ~12 mins)
Picture
2) Mini Gingerbread
I've never had much luck with gingerbread, quite frankly.
The 2020 edition sourced from June was tragic to work with, being horrendously soft, requiring extensive chill time, and spreading significantly to yield chubby gingerpeople. The 2021 edition from Sunday Baking was much easier to handle, but, as she indicated in her video, "not for eating" (cue sitcom laughter).

For this year's edition, I took to yet another formula. The recipe of choice, presented in a cinematic yet concise format, was interesting in that it involved exposing the spices to heat in a mixture of honey and granulated sugar. There was initial concern over the syrup burning in the absence of water, but I later recalled that honey contained water.
Picture
Heating the spices first allowed for unleashing of their aromatic properties, filling the kitchen with a cozy and subtly floral aura. The recipe involved bringing the spice-infused honey-sugar mixture to a boil, though did not specify an acceptable temperature range. As the first few steps were nearly identical to dalgona, I aimed to raise the temperature to 170 C, however the mixture began to boil as per the video before reaching that temperature. The pot was removed from the heat at reaching 130 C and baking soda was mixed in. Next came the butter followed by the lone egg, which was whisked vigorously to prevent scrambling. Lastly came an incredulous amount of flour - 400-450 g of it, to be exact. It wasn't exactly (no pun intended) an uncommon amount, but perhaps I had reduced the honey-sugar mixture too far, for the emerging dough was quite rigid.
​Showcased within the cookie was a gingery, lightly peppery profile, which was quite tasty even without citrus zest or orange extract for contrast. In regards to baking time, I'd likely need to experiment given the size modification. A total of 71 mini gingerpeople were cut out (some docked with buttons) and set in the freezer. A few larger pieces and a handful of extra-thin mini gingerpeople were baked as part of the test batch.
According to the recipe, the cookies would supposedly need 10 minutes at 350 F. The larger pieces expanded gently while maintaining their shape, but quickly burned at its edges. The mini gingerpeople, which were baked at 350 F for 4 mins were crisp and decently enjoyable, though a softer centre would have been preferred. Again, I would refrain from overbaking this variety as well.
Picture
Picture
3) Oolong and Matcha Snowballs

​
Timeless (and unapologetically messy to consume), the two-bite snowball was given a twist of matcha by Sunday Baking. Building upon the tea-inspired profile and organically egg-free, gluten-free qualities of the recipe, I opted to construct an Oolong rendition using one of my Paragon purchases.
Picture
Picture
​Timeless (and unapologetically messy to consume), the two-bite snowball was given a twist of matcha by Sunday Baking. Building upon the tea-inspired profile and organically egg-free, gluten-free qualities of the recipe, I opted to construct an Oolong rendition using one of my Paragon purchases.

I had, at the same time, taken to using a forgotten container of expired O-Sulloc matcha for comparison purposes. Instead of Sunday's 67 g of butter, the remainder of my block weighed in at 85 g; I scaled up the recipe accordingly, which yielded a total of 13 matcha and 15 oolong snowballs. They were dry in appearance and quite crumbly, as expected of the gluten-free format.
Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar within minutes of removal from the oven led to an excess of moisture forming on their underside. The classic constituent of holiday cookie boxes was less snowy than the typical variety, yet also sweeter with a sophisticatedly grassy edge.
Picture
Comments are as follows:
  • Baking for 15 minutes at 325 F is adequate - I will not be altering the baking time nor temperature
  • Too sweet; will be reducing the sugar quantity in the official batch
  • Extremely simple to construct, but impossible to prep beforehand and freeze due to lack of structure
  • Oolong boasted greater complexity than matcha, leading me to lean towards supplementing the O-Sulloc with a sprinkle of Paragon's lovely Genmaicha
Picture
​Test baking was prematurely ceased for the week due to lack of energy and recurring wrist pains. Linzer cookies (and potentially spiced chocolate biscotti) shall be visited next week and, if not, then researched thoroughly for a no-fail first go.
Picture
​The week marked the first snowfall of the GTA, making for a pleasant second-floor view but utterly disastrous morning commute into downtown.
Picture
Picture
​Admittedly, the presence of flakey precipitation and stooping mercury levels urges a sense of holiday spirit. With seasonal décor appearing in every window display and building exterior, we are reminded of the arrival of Christmas, as well as the passing of another year.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Who Am I?

    Formerly an avid owner of several interest-based portals, Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger presents precisely the elements expected. From experiments in the kitchen to miscellaneous musings, from IGOT7 reflections to developments in transportation infrastructure, it's all consolidated here. Welcome to the raw, unfiltered side of Quirky Aesthetics.



    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013


    Categories

    All
    Ahgabond Adventures
    Ahgase
    Arctic Aquarium
    Atlantic Canada 2018
    Barrie
    Beauty
    Birthday Buddy
    Calgary 2023
    Chinese New Year
    Conquering COVID 19
    Daily Randoms
    Eyes On You World Tour 2018
    Food
    Friends
    Hallyucon
    Hamilton
    Hong Kong
    Iron Ring
    J Movie
    K Drama
    K-Drama
    Korean Beauty
    K Pop
    Los Angeles 2017
    Macau
    New York 2018
    Ottawa 2019
    Pilates
    Random Rant
    Restaurant Review
    Seoul
    Shopping
    SSMC
    Taiwan
    Vacation
    Vancouver 2013
    Vancouver 2014
    Vancouver 2015
    Vancouver 2016
    Vancouver 2020
    Vancouver 2022


    trazy.com

    RSS Feed


WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Quirky =  a term that commonly refers to something/someone distinctly different and unique
Aesthetics = the visual aspect of things



Together, Quirky Aesthetics refers to the things, events, and happenings seen and perceived by this blog's creator - quirky perspectives in a visual form.

Contact ME

​Subscribe

Join our mailing list today!
Join Now
© Quirky Aesthetics. All rights reserved. Last modified: August 10, 2015.