Pt 2 Revisiting Simplest Scratch Oatmeal Cookies, Closer Looks at Process

 

"Pt 1 Revisiting Simplest Scratch Oatmeal Cookies, Plain and Chocochip Batch" describes the different methodology of the recipe I had blogged about almost 10 years ago. The ingredients are the same for half the batch. For the other half batch, I've added four ounces of chocolate chips.

The newer recipe effort is less labor intensive than in 2012. Back then, I used a manual pastry blender, and measuring-tablespoon-and-rubber-spatula method to dispense the dollops. This time, I used a tilt-head mixer, helpful for saving on elbow grease, and a cooky scoop for dispensing most of the dollops. Also, I weighed the doughs with a newly acquired Ozeri digital scale,

Tilt-head Mixer

I bought a Cuisineart tilt-head mixer in 2016. It took some getting used to, but am sure glad I have it. (No longer inclined to use dough/pastry blender to mix dough.) It seems that KitchenAid and Cuisineart get a lot of consumer attention.

Digital Kitchen Scale

For many years, I've used a Braun kitchen scale, several times daily. I started wondering what other scales were out there. A few years ago, I had given a couple of relatives digital scales that had nice features. Glad I poked around the web! Newer ones are plentiful, and surprisingly inexpensive. The Ozeri digital scale I have is great for precision and ease of use. The Braun is now relegated to non-food weighs. Hard to believe the search finds for Braun kitchen scales for prices.

Cooky Dough Dispensing Using Scoops

"Cookie Scoop Sizes" and "Uses for Cookie Scoops" inform for flexibility in using scoops for various cooky sizes, and for more uses than just cookies. These sites' info don't totally coincide with each other. For instance, my cooky scoop holds 4 teaspoons dough; the bowl diameter measures 1 3/8" diameter.

"Uses for Cookie Scoops" indicates that #60 scoop's volume is 1 tablespoon and bowl diameter is 1 3/8", and #50 scoop volume is 4 tsp and bowl diameter is 1 5/8". OTOH, "Uses for Cookie Scoops" doesn't list #50 size, but lists #60 cookie scoop as holding 1 tablespoon and one teaspoon of dough, and the bowl diameter as 1 3/8".

I had long thought of my scoop as holding 1 1/2 T. One day I did a test with mashed potatoes. Golly! The scoop level-filled one tablespoon and one teaspoon! I can't get too excited. The difference of 1/2 teaspoon I can chalk up to imperfect leveling.

Additional Cooky Dough Dispensing Thoughts

Even with a reasonably convenient way to dispense dough with a scoop, by the time I got to the oatmeal chocolate chip dough, I didn't look forward to scooping more dense dough. I flattened this batch, then cut it gently with a icing spatula. I shaped a few scraps together into scoopable dollops.

I mused a possible better way to cut for future dense cooky batches. I then recalled I had bought a device that resembled an ice tray.

The plan would be to spray oil into the pan's parts, flatten the dough into the pan, and press the divider into the dough. I could then separate the rectangular shapes from the pan and distribute them into cooky pan. Not sure I'd try baking an entire batch without considering dough amounts and baking times.

Anomalous Brown Sugar

I have had the same container of dark brown sugar for what seems like several years. I think it's made its appearance in several blog article, particularly in the method of resoftening. I think I have it down now. For that matter, when I started this oatmeal recipe, I became apprehensive that I didn't have enough on hand. The "brick" weighed 9.3 ounces. My recipe needed 1 1/3 cups.

After I did the brown sugar resoftening process (microwave "brick" with water till crumbly), I was surprised I had leftover sugar after I packed the needed amount. The "Convert Cups of Sugar to Ounces" calculator showed that if I had been short, it wouldn't have been by much!

I have something of a love-hate relationship with brown sugar. Baked stuff does seem to taste better with it than with white sugar. And I have run across info that says brown sugar helps make for soft cookies. Yum! However, I hate that it gets bricky!

Maybe mylar food bags can help keep the brown sugar soft, but I'm not sure I'd buy in quantity like I see for sale. (I thought about mylar bags because my Ozeri scale came with a couple of small, wierdly-new-to-me bags, which I researched, discovering they seem hugely available.)

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"Pt 1 Revisiting Simplest Scratch Oatmeal Cookies, Plain and Chocochip Batch"

"Pt 2 Revisiting Simplest Scratch Oatmeal Cookies, Closer Looks at Process"

"Simplest Scratch Oatmeal Cookies"

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