Hoping you nice folks can tell me why my choc chip cookies are flat?

[eeyoreforever]

I have a question about the cooking stones. I got one last year from Pampered Chef and have only used it once (that thing is heavy). When you bake cookies, do you use parchment paper to make the cleanup easier? I have never cooked with parchment paper and didn't know if it would affect the cookies in any way. I have never had much luck baking cookies-don't know if its my pans or my oven is wacky! I've checked the temperature on it, but I always have to bake things quite a bit longer than the recipe calls for.

 

[Spinning]

nope you just plop the dough on the stone and bake. You never wash the stone with soap. I just scrap it off. If I feel it needs to be cleaned then I mix up a paste of baking soda and clean it that way.
I use my stones all the time. I have the metal holders they sit in to make it easier to move the stones in and out.

 

[mcnuss]

I just read about this, and I can't find the article, but here's one that discusses a few options. I'll come back if I can find the original one I read.

http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/food/article/0,1713,BDC_2517_2261272,00.html

 

[mom2grace]

Here's the scoop. Spinning has it right! The first batch may take a few minutes longer to bake. The stones bake from the bottom up instead of from the outside in. This results in cookies that are as done on the bottom as the top, so if you haven't burnt the top, you haven't burnt the bottom. Also, the way it distributes the fats in foods, they are generally "fluffier". You do not need to adjust your recipes at all.

To clean, let it return to room temp. and run hot water over it and scrape off all of the cookie leftovers. Don't use soap. The baking soda paste is also good. It "seasons" a lot like cast iron.

Also, if you want to grease it, do not use a Pam-type spray, over time your stone will have a sticky residue from the additives in the spray. You can use butter, margarine, crisco, or oil. I prefer solid crisco, use whatever type of fat you are using in the recipe.

There is no need to use parchment unless you want to.

Susan