So, a few days back, I decided to attempt making chocolate-chip cookies. I had baked cakes, brownies, and cupcakes before, but never cookies, either because my so-called “cookie dough” would slowly transition into cake batter or because I didn’t find baking cookies as interesting as the other aspects of baking.
Anyways, I decided to challenge myself this time, as cookies were also known to be my worst. Hence, I found myself a gooey cookie recipe and began working on it. Everything was going well. I was also doing this before going down to meet my friends, so I was in a slight hurry, as I knew that once I came back home, I wouldn’t be able to drag myself to actually get up from my spot on the couch and continue making the dough.
And then it began.
For the cookie dough, 550 GRAMS OF FLOUR WAS REQUIRED. THAT WAS ALMOST HALF THE PACKET AND I COULD NOT GET IT INTO THE MEASURING CUP WITHOUT SPILLING IT. AND I WAS ALREADY RUSHING. I rushed around like a lost sheep, trying to find a spoon and making flour shower like snow in the process. I even accidentally knocked over the packet, AND THEN I STUBBED MY TOE IN FRUSTRATION.
40 flour-filled minutes later, my face looked like I had dunked myself into a bucket of flour. And I kept sneezing. No one likes flour up their nose☹. IT WAS EVERYWHERE.
After cleaning up, I realized that I had another problem. When flour is added into liquid batter, it has so be sieved into a separate bowl first and then added to the mix, to prevent getting a lumpy batter. Imagine trying to sieve 550 grams of flour without your hand breaking. I was in utter despair, but I couldn’t very well give up now, could I? Besides, the liquid chocolate looked and tasted too appealing to be resisted. Thus, I continued my journey into Flourland.
An excruciating 200 grams later(THAT LESS TOOK 30 MINUTES TO BE SIEVED.), I gave up sieving and dumped the flour into the batter. Watching high lumps form, I began to regret and reconsider putting the flour in. However, I had an electric mixer, and it could remove the lumpiness. As I mixed, I continued questioning my impatient decision.
What I didn’t know was that the flour for cookie-dough didn’t need to be sieved, as the flour bonds in the batter to form the dough, something like the dough for parathas. And I wasted all that time for nothing. And fractured my fingers too☹.
These trains of thought running through my head, I failed to realise that the batter had thickened considerably, significantly, and was oblivious to the fact that the now-formed chunky, dense batter was hanging off the electric mixer, which was now beating inconsistently. The deeper it went into the dough, the faster it beat the liquid base, but whenever I circulated it across the upper surface of the dough, it splattered everywhere. Walls, floor, CEILING? DRAWERS, CUPBOARDS?
Realizing what was transpiring LITERALLY under my nose, I looked down to withdraw the now-crazy electric mixer, and DOUGH FLEW INTO MY FACE.
Frantically trying to switch off the mixer, I unplugged it and stood there, surveying the mess. Thankfully, I couldn’t see any damage occurred to any property. It would be “OFF WITH MY HEAD!” if my mother found out. Thankfully, she was working and didn’t bother coming in.
Hastily mopping it up, I gazed proudly at the dough, which came out extremely well. After kneading it vigorously, I placed it onto the baking trays to the bake, the batter divided into various shapes of circular, semi-circular, square(Is that possible?) and OVAL.
As soon as it was baked, I pulled it out in excitement. They looked absolutely delicious and tasted delicious too, but they were…scones.
I STARTED WITH COOKIES AND FINISHED WITH SCONES.
Whatever it was, I was satisfied with my unexpected results, serving them, and enjoying the “cookies” myself and with my family. Maybe I’d chanced across an accidental scone recipe! Who knows?
Maybe one fine day, I would truly perfect making cookies. But for now, I’d eat my scones in peace😊.
Obviously, with chocolate syrup😉.
Signing off…