Unlock the science behind a chewy or crunchy biscuits
Ever wanted to know how to achieve the best cookie for your liking?
This post will focus on baking science and educate you on the ingredients you can change to customise how you eat your cookies (American term) or biscuits (English term).
Let’s call them bikkie for short
Do you like to have a chewy bikkie?
Or
Do you like to have a crunchy bikkie?
I am in between. I like my bikkies crunchy on the outside and gooey in the centre.
Did you know that three different variables can change a simple bikkie recipe to achieve a chewy, crunchy, thin and crispy, or cakey bikkie?
The three different variables are
- The ingredients
- The method of adding or mixing the ingredients
- The baking temperature
The ingredients
Substituting white sugar for brown sugar (or vice versa) will not affect the cookie’s sweetness, but it will affect its texture and colour.
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1. Granulated sugar
Using granulated white sugar will result in a flatter, crispier and lighter-colored cookie. Granulated sugar is hygroscopic, attracting and absorbing the liquid in the dough. This slows the development of the gluten (flour), making the cookies crispier.
2. Brown sugar
Using brown sugar will result in a denser, moister cookie. Brown sugar is also hygroscopic (more so than granulated sugar) and will therefore also attract and absorb the liquid in the dough. The difference in the molasses makes brown sugar brown: It adds moisture and slight acidity, resulting in a moist and chewy texture.
3. Melted butter
When you melt the butter, the water in the butter will dissolve the sugar, resulting in cookies that are tender and flat. In most cookie recipes, you are instructed to cream room-temperature butter and sugar together. This is because mixing the butter and sugar granules creates air pockets in the dough, which results in puffier cookies.
4. Baking powder
Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate and acidic salts.
The reaction of these two ingredients results in a soft and thick cookie, but slightly harder.
The baking powder reaction happens in two stages:
- The first reaction occurs when you add the powder to the dough
- The second reaction takes place when the dough is exposed to heat during the baking process
Because the reaction occurs in two different stages, you do not have to bake the dough immediately, as you would if you were using only baking soda.
5. Baking soda
When added to dough, baking soda releases a carbon dioxide gas which helps leaven the dough, creating a soft, fluffy cookie. Baking soda is generally used in recipes that contain an acidic ingredient such as vinegar, sour cream or citrus.
Tip: For recipes that call for baking soda, work quickly and bake immediately after mixing, or the reaction will cease and your cookies will fall flat.
Tip: Sometimes, a little bit of baking soda is not enough. Baking soda requires an acid ingredient to react with. Instead of adding more liquid to your dough (like sour cream or buttermilk), you can add a bit of baking powder. These cookies will turn out tender and chewy.
6. Chilling dough for 24 Hours
This last one isn’t an ingredient but is still important to consider.
If you’re planning ahead for cookies, chilling your dough for a full day will result in a flatter, crispier cookie.
Giving the ingredients in your dough time to meld together and the butter time to harden makes the baking process react differently than for room-temperature dough.
The method of adding or mixing the ingredients
How to make Anzac biscuits: chewy, crunchy or crispy
Whether you prefer your biscuits soft and chewy or are more inclined to a thin and crispy bikkie, the beauty of these biscuits is that a slight variation in the sugar and flour means you can cater to everyone’s preferences.
Caster sugar gives the biscuits a lighter, softer texture.
Replacing the sugar with brown sugar results in a darker biscuit and also a firmer, crunchier biscuit.
Reducing the flour creates biscuits that spread further and thinner.
Light and chewy: Follow the recipe with no variations.
Dark and crunchy: Change the caster sugar to 155g (¾ cup) brown sugar.
Thin and crispy: Change the caster sugar to 200g (1 cup) brown sugar and reduce the flour to 150g (1 cup). Bake for 10-12 minutes.
