< Previous20COOK’S ILLUSTRATED REVOLUTIONARY RECIPESing it into two pieces . Then, to jazz up the oil-salt-pepper base, I added spices (anise seeds and red pepper flakes), six cloves of garlic, parsley, and melted butter (a natural pairing with briny seafood) and worked the flavorful mixture deep into the meat before broiling . Just as brining had seasoned the shrimp throughout, butterflying the pieces and thoroughly coating them with the oil-spice mixture made for seriously bold flavor . And since my tasters instantly gobbled up the shrimp—some of them shell and all—I developed two equally quick, flavorful varia-tions: a Peruvian-style version with cilantro and lime and an Asian-inspired one with cumin, ginger, and sesame .A great-tasting dish that requires almost no prep work and goes from the oven to the table in fewer than 10 minutes? I knew I’d be making this one year-round .Garlicky Roasted Shrimp with Parsley and AniseSERVES 4 TO 6Don’t be tempted to use smaller shrimp with this cooking technique; they will be overseasoned and are prone to overcooking.¼ cup salt2 pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted¼ cup vegetable oil6 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon anise seeds½ teaspoon red pepper flakes¼ teaspoon pepper2 tablespoons minced fresh parsleyLemon wedges1. Dissolve salt in 1 quart cold water in large container . Using kitchen shears or sharp paring knife, cut through shells of shrimp and devein but do not remove shells . Using paring knife, continue to cut shrimp 1/2 inch deep, taking care not to cut in half completely . Submerge shrimp in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes .2. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler . Combine melted butter, oil, garlic, anise seeds, pepper flakes, and pepper in large bowl . Remove shrimp from brine and pat dry with paper towels . Add shrimp and parsley to butter mixture; toss well, making sure butter mixture gets into interiors of shrimp . Arrange shrimp in single layer on wire rack set in rimmed bak-ing sheet .3. Broil shrimp until opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling . Flip shrimp and continue to broil until second side is opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through broiling . Transfer shrimp to serving platter and serve immediately, passing lemon wedges separately .variationsGarlicky Roasted Shrimp with Cilantro and LimeAnnatto powder, also called achiote, can be found with the Latin American foods at your supermarket. An equal amount of paprika can be substituted.Omit butter and increase vegetable oil to 1/2 cup . Omit anise seeds and pepper . Add 2 teaspoons lightly crushed coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons grated lime zest, and 1 teaspoon annatto powder to oil mixture in step 2 . Substitute 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro for parsley and lime wedges for lemon wedges .Garlicky Roasted Shrimp with Cumin, Ginger, and SesameOmit butter and increase vegetable oil to 1/2 cup . Decrease garlic to 2 cloves and omit anise seeds and pepper . Add 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 11/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to oil mixture in step 2 . Substitute 2 thinly sliced scallion greens for parsley and omit lemon wedges .BUTTERFLYING SHELL-ON SHRIMPStarting at head of shrimp, snip through back of shell with kitchen shears. (this can also be done with very sharp paring knife: Cut from tail end of shell toward head.) Devein shrimp but do not remove shell.Using paring knife, carefully continue to cut 1/2-inch slit in shrimp, making sure not to split it in half completely.THE SURPRISING POWER OF SHRIMP SHELLSWe found that cooking shrimp in their shells kept them juicier, but our shell-on roasted shrimp boast such savory depth that we won-dered if there wasn’t more to this outer layer than we thought. Our science editor con-firmed our suspicions. First, shrimp shells contain water-soluble flavor compounds that will get absorbed by the shrimp flesh during cooking. Second, the shells are loaded with proteins and sugars—almost as much as the flesh itself. When they brown, they undergo the flavor-enhancing Maillard reaction just as roasted meats do, which gives the shells even more flavor to pass along to the flesh. Third, like the flesh, the shells contain healthy amounts of glutamates and nucleotides, com-pounds that dramatically enhance savory umami flavor when present together in food. These compounds also get transferred to the meat during cooking, amplifying the effect of its own glutamates and nucleotides. 21Pasta and Noodlesspaghetti and (great) meatballsJACK BISHOP, January/February 1998Like most Italian-Americans, I have fond memories of my grandmother’s Sunday dinner . As a main course, she served two kinds of sausage, braciole (rolled flank steak stuffed with cheeses, herbs, and garlic), and meatballs, all simmered in tomato sauce and all designed to be eaten over spaghetti . It was delicious and decadent .Although my grandmother is a fabulous cook, her meatballs were never the best part of the meal . (My siblings and I fought over the braciole or spicy sausage .) However, it’s the meatball part of this traditional Italian -American feast that most other Americans are familiar with as part of the now-classic spaghetti and meatballs . For this story, I wanted to make great meatballs (something the kids in my family would fight over) and try to streamline the recipe in the process . My grandmother would spend the better part of the weekend cooking Sunday dinner . I wanted to develop a spaghetti and meatball recipe that could be on the table in less than an hour—a breeze for weekend cooking and doable on weeknights when pressed for time .RIGHT TEXTURE, RIGHT BINDERThe problem with most meatballs is that they are too dense and heavy . Serving meat-balls over thin, long noodles is already a bit awkward . If the meatballs are compact, overcooked little hamburgers, the dish can be so leaden that Alka-Seltzer is the only dessert that makes sense . Many cooks think of meatballs as ham-burgers with seasonings (cheese, herbs, gar-lic, etc .) and a round shape . This is partly true . However, unlike hamburgers, which are best cooked rare or medium-rare, meatballs are cooked through until well-done . At this point, ground beef and seasonings will form dry, tough hockey pucks . Meatballs require additional ingredients to keep them moist and lighten their texture . My testing first focused on ingredients that would give meat-balls a moister, softer consistency .I started out with a simple recipe (ground beef plus a little cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper) and tested the various binders—eggs, dried bread crumbs, fresh bread crumbs, ground crackers, and bread soaked in milk—that were common in the recipes uncovered during my research . I started with a whole egg and decided that it was a welcome addition . Meatballs made without egg were heavier and drier .Next I added dried supermarket bread crumbs (the choice of my grandmother and most meatball recipe writers) to one batch and crustless bread soaked in milk (the second most popular bread binder) to another . The differences were quite clear . The crumbs soaked up any available moisture and com-pounded the problems caused by cooking meatballs to the well-done stage . Adding bread crumbs might be a way to extend the meat—an idea with appeal in less prosperous times—but hardly necessary in an age where the meat for this recipe cost $2 . In compari-son, the meatballs made with the soaked bread were moister, creamier, richer, and even more pâté-like in consistency . Clearly, milk was an important part of the equation . There were a few problems with my first test using torn bread and milk . I soaked the crustless bread and then squeezed it dry as directed in many recipes but was still having trouble getting the bread to meld seamlessly into the meatball mixture . I saw a recipe where the crustless, torn bread cubes were cooked with milk into a paste . Although this method worked fine, I found myself waiting around for the mixture to cool before add-ing it to the meat . The idea of mashing the bread and milk into a paste was good; I just wondered if I could do it without cooking . After several attempts, I devised the following scheme . I starting by tearing the bread into small cubes . I placed the bread in a small bowl, drizzled the milk over it, and then started mashing with a fork . I continued to mash every few minutes as the bread absorbed the liquid and eventually formed a smooth, thick paste . (In the meantime, I prepared the other ingredients for the meatballs .) By the time the bread was ready, so were the rest of the ingredients and I just added the entire bread-milk mixture to the bowl with the meat and seasonings . Besides solving the problem of bread chunks being recognizable in my meatballs, this method has an added benefit . With more milk, the meatballs were even creamier and moister than versions made with bread that had been soaked and squeezed . Of course, there is a limit to how much milk can be added before the meatball mixture is too hard to handle . But 1/2 cup milk per pound of ground beef was clearly the win-ner in this first round of testing .In the past, my colleague Pam Anderson found that yogurt adds a delicious flavor to meat loaf . Yogurt is too thick to properly sof-ten bread by my method so I tried thinning it with some milk . Meatballs made with thinned yogurt were even richer, creamier, and more flavorful than those made with plain milk . I also tried buttermilk and the results were equally delicious, and there was no need to thin the liquid before adding it to the bread . I went back to the issue of the egg one more time and tried the yolk only . As I sus-pected, the fats and emulsifiers in the yolk added moistness and richness . The white was only making the mixture sticky and harder to handle, so I eliminated it .A panade made with soft bread and buttermilk keeps our meatballs moist, tender, and cohesive.23Pasta and NoodlesMEATS AND SEASONINGSI next experimented with various meats . Until this point, I had been using all ground chuck . Leaner ground round made the meat-balls dry . Ground veal was too bland . But a little ground pork, when added in a ratio of three parts chuck to one part pork, gives the meatballs another flavor dimension . Freshly grated Parmesan cheese was needed for flavor, as was a little fresh parsley . Basil’s delicate flavor was better showcased in the tomato sauce . Raw garlic improved the flavor of the meatballs but raw onions were problematic because they tended to shrink during cooking and caused little pockets to form in the meatballs . I tried cooking the onions first, which was an improvement, but in the end the meatballs were delicious without them and I wanted to avoid precooking ingredients if possible .I then tested three cooking techniques—roasting, broiling, and traditional pan-fry-ing . After roasting for 25 minutes at 450 degrees the meatballs emerged nicely browned, but dry and crumbly . Broiling proved messier than pan-frying and also dried out the meatballs . Pan-frying was my method of choice .When pan-frying, it is important to wait until the oil is hot before adding the meat-balls . Once in the pan, turn the meatballs sev-eral times to brown all sides . They should have a dark brown crust so they don’t get soggy when placed in the tomato sauce . I wondered if I could save clean-up time and add flavor by building the tomato sauce in the same pan used to fry the meatballs . I emptied the vegetable oil, leaving behind the browned bits on the bottom of the pan . I then added a little fresh olive oil and started my tomato sauce . Not only did this method prove convenient, but it gave depth to my quick-cooking sauce . Meatballs need a thick, smooth sauce—the kind produced by canned crushed toma-toes . I added a little garlic and basil to the tomatoes, but otherwise kept the flavorings simple so that the focus would remain on the meatballs . Once the tomato sauce thick-ens, the browned meatballs are added and simmered just until heated through . By this time the pasta should be almost cooked, and dinner is ready to go . Classic Spaghetti and MeatballsSERVES 4 TO 6 If you don’t have buttermilk, you can sub-stitute 6 tablespoons of plain yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons of milk. When forming the meatballs, use a light touch; if com-pacted, they will be dense and hard.Meatballs2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces½ cup buttermilk12 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef4 ounces ground pork¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley1 large egg yolk1 garlic clove, minced3/4 teaspoon salt⅛ teaspoon pepperVegetable oilTomato Sauce2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 garlic clove, minced1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes1 tablespoon minced fresh basilSalt and pepper1 pound spaghetti1. For the Meatballs: Using fork, mash bread and buttermilk in large bowl . Let stand for 10 minutes . Add beef, pork, Parmesan, pars-ley, egg yolk, garlic, salt, and pepper to bowl and mix together with your hands . Pinch off and lightly shape mixture into 11/2-inch round meatballs (about 14 meatballs total) .2. Add oil to 12-inch skillet until it measures 1/4 inch deep . Heat oil over medium- high heat until shimmering . Carefully add meatballs in single layer and cook until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes . Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to paper towel–lined plate . Discard remaining oil .3. For the tomato sauce: Heat oil and garlic in now-empty skillet over medium heat . Cook, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes . Stir in toma-toes, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes . Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste . Gently nestle meatballs into sauce, bring back to simmer, and cook, turning meatballs occa-sionally, until heated through, about 5 min-utes . (Sauce and meatballs can be refriger-ated in airtight container for up to 2 days .)4. While sauce cooks, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot . Add pasta and 1 table-spoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente . Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot . Add 1 cup sauce (without meatballs) to pasta and toss to combine . Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed . Put pasta on serving platter, top with additional tomato sauce and meatballs, and serve, passing extra Parmesan separately .GETTING FLAVORFUL, MOIST MEATBALLS1. Mash bread pieces and buttermilk together with fork. Let stand until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.2. Add beef, pork, Parmesan, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, salt, and pepper to bowl and mix with your hands until roughly combined. Lightly shape into 11/2-inch round meatballs.24COOK’S ILLUSTRATED REVOLUTIONARY RECIPESeasy sandwich breadANDREA GEARY, January/Febraury 2014A freshly baked loaf of bread is one of life’s great pleasures . But these days, most people don’t have 4 hours to devote to mixing dough, waiting for it to rise for an hour or so—twice—plus kneading (even if it’s the stand mixer approach of most recipes today), shaping, and baking . While I can appreciate the classic bread-making process, I wondered: Could I find a way to make a yeasted loaf of bread in about half of the time? Furthermore, could I possibly avoid, or at least shortcut, some of the work?I began by scouring cookbooks and websites for clever bread-making tricks and came across an old-fashioned type of loaf: batter bread . As its name implies, the yeasted loaf begins with a fluid batter (not a thick dough) that’s made of all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and quite a bit of water . Since its hydration level is so high (80 to 85 percent), the batter is beaten with a paddle instead of a dough hook (usually for about 5 minutes) and is transferred straight from the mixing bowl to a prepared loaf pan, no shaping required . And some recipes call for only one rise rather than the two needed to make most traditional loaves . They all promised tender loaves with great flavor—homemade sandwich bread without all the work . Was it too good to be true?Well, yes and no . The few batter bread recipes I tried featured quick and easy aspects—less time being kneaded in the mixer (some even relied on just a wooden spoon and bowl), abbreviated or fewer proofs, and no shaping—that met my requirements . But that speed and simplicity came at a price . The loaves were generally squat and dumpy-looking, with bumpy, sunken tops instead of smooth, tender domes . Slicing revealed damp, fragile interi-ors that were exceedingly yeasty but other-wise bland . I wanted great-tasting bread with a soft, uniform crumb sturdy enough to support sandwich fillings . To get a loaf that justified even a modest effort, I’d have to make some serious modifications .BUILDING CHARACTERI decided to solve the easiest problem first: that single-note yeast flavor . For quick ris-ing, all the batter bread recipes that I found rely on more than twice as much yeast as traditional loaf recipes do: 21/4 teaspoons versus 1 teaspoon . But all that yeast was giv-ing the breads an overly yeasty, not “bready,” flavor . Nevertheless, I was committed to sticking with the large amount since it made such a huge time savings .My elementary but effective strategy was to cover up part of the yeastiness by working in some more flavorful ingredients . Adding a few tablespoons of melted butter was a good start toward a tastier loaf, and substituting whole-wheat flour for a portion of the all -purpose flour provided nutty, wheaty depth . I also traded 1 tablespoon of honey for the sugar, which was a twofer: It contributed complexity, and because heat causes honey to break down into simple sugars that encourage browning, it also gave the crust a bit more color .Next up: building that complexity . In tra-ditional bread, complexity develops by way of fermentation, which happens during the first and second rises . In these two proofing stages (each of which takes about an hour) the yeast consumes the sugars that are cre-ated as the starches in the flour break down, producing the gases essential for making the dough rise . Along the way, a multitude of flavorful byproducts are generated: sugars, acids, and alcohol . Knowing this, I decided that there was no way that I could get by with just one rise . Two 20-minute proofs—one after mixing the batter and one after transferring it to the pan—would allow for at least some flavor development .My bread, which was coming together in about 90 minutes, now had quite a bit more depth, and the yeast flavor was much less noticeable than in previous versions . But it still wasn’t winning points for its damp, fragile texture or sunken appearance .NETWORK FAILUREYeasted breads derive their light, airy struc-ture from gluten, a stretchy protein network that forms only when wheat flour is com-bined with water . That network traps the gases given off by the yeast, inflating the dough and causing it to rise . (If the gluten structure is weak, the network can’t hold enough gas and the bread will collapse in the heat of the oven .) When a dough is ini-tially mixed, the proteins that form the net-work are weak and disorganized . They need to align in order to link up and acquire strength . Given enough time, they will line up on their own, or they can be physically encouraged to do so by kneading .You’d think that my bread would have had a mighty strong gluten network since I had been beating the batter in the mixer for 5 minutes . Yet the loaf’s inadequate volume, sunken top, and fragile crumb suggested otherwise .For my next test, I swapped the all- purpose flour for higher-protein bread flour . More gluten-forming proteins in the bread-flour would surely result in a more robust structure . This was a step in the right direc-tion, but my loaf still had a long way to go .My batter had so much water in it that the loaf was damp . Maybe that was too much liquid? I knew that the hydration level of a dough (or batter, in this case) affects gluten strength: Generally, the more water, the stronger and more extensible the gluten strands are and the better able they are to To cut down on time, we make a highly hydrated dough but leave out the salt until after the first brief rise to form a strong gluten network.26COOK’S ILLUSTRATED REVOLUTIONARY RECIPESprovide support . That translates into a stur-dier, airier bread . But there’s a tipping point: Unless you are planning on a long fermentation— which I wasn’t—too much water can actually inhibit the formation of gluten . I had been using 13/4 cups warm water (using warm water helps jump-start the yeast’s activity, ensuring a faster rise), so I reduced the water in my next batch to 11/4 cups . I hoped that the resulting loaf would have a slightly drier crumb and that the gluten framework would be sturdier .I attached the paddle to the mixer, beat the batter for 5 minutes on medium speed, and then set it aside to rise . (The hydration level was still notably high—the dough was still pourable .) After 20 minutes, I transferred the mixture to a greased loaf pan, smoothed the top with a spatula, and let it rise again briefly before baking it for 40 minutes . This loaf, once cooled, had a better top: not quite domed, but at least it wasn’t lumpy or sunken . When I sliced it, I found a crumb that was not as damp as those of my earlier versions, but it was still fragile . I thought back to other test kitchen bread recipes in which we have waited to add the salt until later in the mixing process . Why? Salt inhibits both the ability of flour to absorb water and the activity of the enzymes that break down proteins to begin the pro-cess of forming gluten . By delaying the addi-tion of salt, I hoped that my bread would be able to develop a stronger gluten network . I mixed the flours, yeast, honey, water, and butter until everything was evenly combined and let the batter rise for 20 minutes . Then I added the salt (dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water for even distribution) and proceeded with mixing, rising, and so on .At last I had a complete success . The resulting loaf was crowned with a rounded top, and the crumb was more resilient and no longer wet . To highlight my crowning achievement, I brushed the risen loaf with a shine-enhancing egg wash before baking, and brushed the warm loaf with melted but-ter after turning it out on the cooling rack, which augmented the sheen and made the thin crust even more tender and delicious .Finally, I had a flavorful sandwich bread that could be made start to finish in about 90 minutes . Easy Sandwich BreadMAKES 1 LOAFThis recipe calls for a loaf pan that mea-sures 81/2 by 41/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5-inch pan, check for doneness 5 minutes early. To prevent the loaf from deflating as it rises, do not let the batter come in contact with the plastic wrap. This loaf is best eaten the day it is made, but leftovers may be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored for up to two days at room temperature or frozen for up to one month.2 cups (11 ounces) bread flour6 tablespoons (2 ounces) whole-wheat flour2¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast1¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water (120 degrees)3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted1 tablespoon honey3/4 teaspoon salt1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water and pinch salt1. In bowl of stand mixer, whisk bread flour, whole-wheat flour, and yeast together . Add 11/4 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and honey . Fit stand mixer with paddle and mix on low speed for 1 minute . Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes . Scrape down bowl and paddle with greased rubber spatula . Continue to mix 2 minutes longer . Remove bowl and paddle from mixer . Scrape down bowl and paddle, leaving paddle in batter . Cover with plastic wrap and let batter rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 20 minutes .2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees . Spray 81/2 by 41/2-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray . Dissolve salt in remaining 2 tablespoons warm water . When batter has doubled, attach bowl and paddle to mixer . Add salt-water mixture and mix on low speed until water is mostly incorporated, about 40 seconds . Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, scraping down paddle if necessary . Transfer batter to pre-pared pan and smooth surface with greased rubber spatula . Cover and leave in warm place until batter reaches 1/2 inch below edge of pan, 15 to 20 minutes . Uncover and let rise until center of batter is level with edge of pan, 5 to 10 minutes longer .3. Gently brush top of risen loaf with egg mixture . Bake until deep golden brown and loaf registers 208 to 210 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes . Using dish towels, carefully invert bread onto wire rack . Reinvert loaf and brush top and sides with remaining 1 table-spoon melted butter . Let cool completely before slicing .POURABLE DOUGHThe dough for this sandwich bread is so wet that it is actually more like a batter. After a brief first rise, you simply pour it straight from the mixer bowl into the loaf pan—you couldn’t shape it even if you tried.FASTER AND EASIER BREADOur bread comes together more quickly and easily than other sandwich breads. Why?MORE YEASTWHY IT HELPS Lots of yeast means a faster rise—20 minutes versus up to 2 hours for a standard loaf.HIGHER HYDRATIONWHY IT HELPS More water in the dough (up to a point) enhances gluten structure without requiring as much kneading; it also results in pourable dough that doesn’t need shaping.PADDLE ATTACHMENTWHY IT HELPS Using a paddle instead of a dough hook allows for more aggressive, faster kneading.27Cookies and Barsbrown sugar cookiesCHARLES KELSEY, March/April 2007I’m not one for fancy cookies . No special nuts, exotic flavor extracts, or intricate decorating for me . I prefer simple cookies done well . Take sugar cookies, for example: Made of nothing more than butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and leavener, they’re rich and buttery with a crisp sugary exterior . Big results from pantry ingredients . . . now that’s what I like .But a sugar cookie can seem too simple—even dull—at times . I love the butterscotch, vanilla, and caramel flavors that brown sugar gives coffee cakes and other baked goods . Could I replace the granulated sugar in a sugar cookie with brown sugar and create a simple cookie that was actually exciting? I had a clear vision of this cookie . It would be oversized, with a crackling crisp exterior and a chewy interior . And, like Mick Jagger, this cookie would scream “brown sugar .”I found a half-dozen recipes and got to work . Although they looked similar on paper, the baked cookies ranged in style from bite-sized puffs with a soft, cakey tex-ture to thin disks with a short crumb . This first round of testing reminded me that cookies are deceptively difficult . Yes, most recipes can be executed by a young child, but even the tiniest alteration will make a significant difference in flavor and, espe-cially, texture . To construct my ideal brown sugar cookie, I would need to brush up on the science of cookie making .BASIC COOKIE CONSTRUCTIONMost sugar cookie recipes start by creaming softened butter with sugar until fluffy, beat-ing in an egg or two, and then adding the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) . Vanilla is often incorporated along the way .Butter was the obvious choice for optimal flavor, but creaming the fat and sugar beat tiny air bubbles into the dough and the resulting cookies were cakey and tender—not what I had in mind . I tried cutting the butter into the flour (like you do when mak-ing pie dough), but this method produced crumbly cookies with a texture akin to short-bread . When I melted the butter, the cookies finally had the chewy texture I wanted .So why does melted butter make chewy cookies? Butter is actually 20 percent water and 80 percent fat . When melted, the water and fat separate and the proteins in the flour absorb some of the water and begin to form gluten, the protein that gives baked goods, including breads, their structure and chew .Cookies made with melted butter and an entire 1-pound box of brown sugar had plenty of flavor, but these taffy-textured con-fections threatened to pull out my expensive dental work . Using dark brown sugar rather than light brown sugar allowed me to get more flavor from less sugar . Cookies made with 13/4 cups dark brown sugar had the best texture and decent flavor . I decided to nail down the rest of my recipe before cir-cling back to flavor issues .Eggs add richness and structure to cook-ies . A single egg didn’t provide enough of the latter—the cookies were too candy-like . Thinking that two eggs would solve the problem, I was surprised when a test batch turned out dry and cakey . Splitting the dif-ference, I added one whole egg plus a yolk and was pleased with the results .Too much flour gave the cookies a homogenous texture; too little and that can-dy-like chew reemerged . Two cups flour, plus a couple extra tablespoons, was the perfect match for the amounts of butter, sugar, and egg I’d chosen .The choice of leavener is probably the most confusing part of any cookie recipe . Sugar cookies typically contain baking powder—a mixture of baking soda and a weak acid (calcium acid phosphate) that is activated by moisture and heat . The soda and acid create gas bubbles, which expand cookies and other baked goods . However, many baked goods with brown sugar call for baking soda . While granulated sugar is neu-tral, dark brown sugar can be slightly acidic . When I used baking soda by itself, the cook-ies had an open, coarse crumb and craggy top . Tasters loved the craggy top but not the coarse crumb . When I used baking powder by itself, the cookies had a finer, tighter crumb but the craggy top disappeared . After a dozen rounds of testing, I found that 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda moderated the coarseness of the crumb without compro-mising the craggy tops .BROWNING AROUNDI had now developed a good cookie, but could I eke out even more brown sugar flavor? Riffing off a classic sugar cookie technique, I tried rolling the dough balls in brown sugar before baking them . The brown sugar clumped in some spots, but overall the crackling sugar exterior added good crunch and flavor . Cutting the brown sugar with granulated sugar solved the clumping problem .To further ramp up the brown sugar flavor, I tested maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract . The maple and molasses were overpowering and masked the cookies’ butterscotch flavor, but 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract properly reinforced the brown sugar flavor . A healthy dose of table salt (1/2 teaspoon) balanced the sweetness and helped accentuate the more interesting flavor components in brown sugar . But my biggest success came from an unlikely refinement .Browned butter sauces add nutty flavor to delicate fish and pasta dishes . I wondered if browning the melted butter would add the same nutty flavor to my cookies . I was hoping for a modest improvement, but my tasters thought the complex nuttiness added by the browned butter made a substantial difference .Browning the butter enhances the deep flavor of brown sugar; rolling the dough balls in more brown sugar adds additional flavor and texture.29Cookies and BarsI noticed that cookies made with browned butter were slightly drier than cookies made with melted butter; some of the water in the butter was evaporating when I browned it . Adding an extra 2 tablespoons of butter and browning most (but not all) of the butter restored the chewy texture to my cookies .FINAL BAKING TESTSI tried a range of baking temperatures between 300 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit and found that right down the middle (350 degrees) gave me the most consistent results . I had hoped to bake two sheets at the same time, but even with rotating and changing tray positions at different times during baking, I could not get two-tray bak-ing to work . Some of the cookies had the right texture, but others were inexplicably dry . Baking one tray at a time allows for even heat distribution and ensures that every cookie has the same texture .My final recipe relies on pantry staples and delivers big brown sugar flavor . And although my technique isn’t difficult (the cookies can be in the oven after just 15 min-utes of work), it did require me to learn some chemistry and physics . After baking 1,200 brown sugar cookies, I think I’ve earned advanced degrees in both subjects .Brown Sugar CookiesMAKES 24 COOKIESUse fresh, moist brown sugar for cookies with the best texture.14 tablespoons unsalted butter2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (102/3 ounces) all-purpose flour½ teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon baking powder13/4 cups packed (12¼ ounces) dark brown sugar, plus ¼ cup for rolling½ teaspoon salt1 large egg plus 1 large yolk1 tablespoon vanilla extract¼ cup (13/4 ounces) granulated sugar1. Melt 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat . Continue to cook, swirling skillet constantly, until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes . Transfer browned butter to large bowl and stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter until melted; let cool for 15 minutes .2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees . Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper . Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking pow-der together in bowl .3. Whisk 13/4 cups brown sugar and salt into cooled browned butter until smooth and no lumps remain, about 30 seconds . Whisk in egg and yolk and vanilla until incorporated, about 30 seconds . Using rub-ber spatula, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute .4. Combine remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and granulated sugar in shallow dish . Work-ing with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls, then roll in sugar to coat; space dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared sheets . (Dough balls can be frozen for up to 1 month; bake frozen dough balls on 1 bak-ing sheet set inside second sheet in 325-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes .)5. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, puffy, and cracked (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking . Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack . Let cookies cool completely before serving .BUILDING BIG BROWN SUGAR FLAVORDark brown sugar was an obvious place to begin our efforts to create a cookie with a bold, nutty, butterscotch flavor. A whole tablespoon of vanilla helped, but everyone in the test kitchen was surprised how much impact browning the butter had on the flavor of these cookies.DARK BROWN SUGARLOTS OF VANILLABROWNED BUTTERCHECKING DONENESSAchieving the proper texture—crisp at the edges and chewy in the middle—is critical to this recipe. Because the cookies are so dark, it’s hard to judge doneness by color. Instead, gently press halfway between the edge and center of the cookie. When it’s done, it will form an indent with slight resistance. Check early and err on the side of underdone.GETTING THE COOKIES YOU WANTCookie making is simple given the number of key ingredients in a typical recipe, but the slightest alteration can have a major impact. By adjusting any of the key ingredients, you can change the texture of any cookie recipe.IF YOU WANT...ADD... EXPLANATIONChewy cookiesMelted butterButter is 20 percent water. Melting helps water in butter mix with flour to form gluten.Thin, candylike cookiesMore sugarSugar becomes fluid in the oven and helps cookies spread.Cakey CookiesMore eggsYolks make cookies rich, and whites cause cookies to puff and dry out.An open, coarse crumb and craggy topBaking SodaBaking soda reacts quickly with acidic ingredients (such as brown sugar) to create lots of gas bubbles.A fine, tight crumb and smooth topBaking PowderBaking powder works slowly and allows for an even rise.Next >