Product Review - Cookie Dough Scoop

I'm debuting a new blog feature this week! Introducing new product review entries. I'm a sucker for any type of new gadget that may improve my cookie baking technique. Recently, I found a cookie dough scoop at Bed, Bath & Beyond and had to give it a try. From the makers of the chip clip (how did we keep our chips fresh before these beauties were invented?), the cookie dough scoop beckoned me from across the aisle. It comes in several bright colors like purple, red, electric blue, yellow and green. I chose red since I felt it just might be easier to find when I'm digging through my overcrowded kitchen drawers.

The handle and rim of the scoop are hard plastic and I dishwasher safe. (top shelf only). The back of the scoop is silicon, so it's soft which is extremely useful for pressing the dough onto the baking sheets. It works especially well with sticky doughs.


I found this tool to be extremely useful in making nicely rounded dough balls that spread evenly when baked. Those of you who know me can attest that I'm a perfectionist so this product fits into my lifestyle very well by helping me to make perfectly round cookies. I give this two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Cookie Dough Scoop
Manufacturer: Robinson Products, Buffalo, New York
Description: plastic, easy to clean, approximately 5" long
Price: $3.99 @ Bed, Bath & Beyond

Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

Lately my office mates have been harassing me to bring in cookies by plastering my Facebook page with requests and comments. I must admit now that the weather has improved, I spend less time in the kitchen and more time outdoors. It's time to get serious about cookies again and this use of social media to nudge me back into the kitchen made me laugh. What next? Will I be hosting SNL a la Betty White? I hear there is another Facebook group lobbying for Ms. White to host the Oscars. I say hooray for Betty!

On my way home from work I popped in to Wholefoods and headed for the baking aisle to pick up some chips. I grabbed the last bag of Guittard 63% cacao extra dark chocolate chips and headed for the checkout. I have never tried Guittard chocolate and am happy to report the chips exceeded my expectations. At $3.99 per bag, were the least expensive chip available at "Wholepaycheck."

I like to try recipes I find on the side of boxes and bags. These recipes are extensively tested to make sure they work. After all, why would a manufacturer print a recipe that isn't thoroughly tested? Their reputations are at stake. I set right to work making the recipe on the side of the Guittard chocolate chip bag.

The dough is rather moist and you may want to pop it in the refrigerator for twenty minutes or so before baking (but it's not necessary). Be sure not to over bake these cookies. 11 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees is the perfect amount of time. You want the centers to remain soft and chewy. Also be careful when melting the chocolate in the microwave. I almost burned it because I don't know how to set my microwave at 50% power.


Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

1 stick butter, softened (1/2 cup)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
2 cups (12 ounces) dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment.

Heat one cup of chips and water in a small microwave safe bowl at medium power for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring well after 1 minute, then after 30 second intervals until smooth, set aside.

Cream butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until light. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add melted chocolate, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Mix in flour and baking soda just until incorporated. Stir in the remaining cup of chips. Dough will be moist and soft.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 11 - 12 minutes or until tops are cracked and crusty. Centers should be soft and appear slightly underdone. Let stand 5 minutes before removing to cooling racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Meringue Cookies

Whenever I ask my friend Carol if she's been reading the blog she gives one of two answers, neither of which is a yes or a no. The first is, "send me the link again, I keep forgetting how to find it," and the second is, "when are you going to make meringues?" If Carol isn't reading the blog, then how does she know I haven't made meringues yet? It's a mystery I have yet to solve. But I'm working on it.

I asked Carol why she likes Meringues so much and she waxed poetically about the thin, crisp outer layer surrounding the soft, sweet inside. She went on about them for so long, she reminded me of Proust pontificating about Madelines.

So, this past weekend, I decided to give in and try my hand at Meringues. Mother nature, however, had a different idea. Sunday turned out to be hot and very humid. My heart sank as I looked at the first words of the recipe which warned to not make these on a humid day. So, I didn't even try. Besides, I needed to get outside and feel the fresh summer air that magically appeared after a rather cool, wet workweek.

Here's the recipe I would have made, had the humidity levels been anywhere near normal for this time of year.

And I still don't know if Carol is reading my blog.

Meringue Cookies

4 large egg whites, room temp.
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower middle positions and heat oven to 200 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium-low speed until they are opaque and frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and increase speed to medium-high, and, watching carefully, beat the egg whites until they are white, thick, voluminous, and the consistency of shaving cream, about 90 seconds. Slowly sprinkle in half the sugar and continue to beat until incorporated, about 60 seconds. Add the vanilla. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting, sprinkle in the remaining sugar and mix until just incorporated.

Using two soup spoons, place dollops of meringue, 2 tablespoons each (about the size of a walnut) 1 inch apart, fitting 3 rows of 5 cookies on each sheet. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until cookies have smooth, firm, dry exteriors. Turn off the oven and allow cookies to cool for several hours. Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container. Cookies keep for up to two weeks.

Variation: Almond Meringues

Finely grind 1 cup toasted almonds and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a food processor, about ten, one second pulses. Set aside. Add the first half of the sugar only to the whites as directed. Sprinkle the almond mixture over the whites and mix on low speed. Shape and bake according to the instructions above.

This recipe is from Baking Illustrated, by Cook's Illustrated. It's one of my favorite baking books ever.

Flash forward one week...

The weather is changeable this time of year so I was able to make meringues after all. Saturday was windy and cool, with much lower humidity levels. Not two minutes after the baking time of 1 1/2 hours, the power went out due to the incredibly high winds. Mother nature was at it again but thankfully she missed her opportunity to mess with my cookies. Whew.

My almond meringues turned out flat-ish, but are delicious nonetheless. I'm not exactly sure what I did wrong, maybe I didn't whip my egg whites enough, or perhaps I didn't work quickly enough when spooning them onto the baking sheet. I will definitely be making these again soon and this time will strive to make picture perfect meringue cookies.