(no subject)

[cupcake_goth]

- After a complete meltdown Monday night about :: gestures vaguely :: everything, I woke up on Tuesday to the Stroppy one telling me we had tickets to Zoo Lights for that night because he wanted to do something Christmas-y for me, dammit. It was very fun, and helped lift my spirits immensely. Even if walking up and down inclines with some uneven spots made my back unhappy. It was worth it.

- I weighed myself this morning. The number, while higher than I'd like, is lower than I had fearfully expected. Still not thrilled about the idea of weighing myself weekly, but information to give to my future doctor will be good.

- Not only will I almost certainly have to go through the pre-authorization dance with my new insurance company for my migraine Botox, but I had to reschedule my appointment; it was on January 16th, which is now when I will be in Arizona. The soonest the clinic could fit me in? February 6th. I'm on the waitlist for an earlier appointment, but I'm not holding my breath. Which means January will be painful. 

- I think I nearly gave the Madwoman in the Attic a stroke. I showed her the Gothic Charm School gingerbread bats recipe, as I’m planning on making them in the next few days. 

“OH MY G-D DO NOT MELT THE BUTTER”, sayeth she. “CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR TOGETHER”.

“But that’s the way I’ve always done it …” 

“NO. TRUST ME. I HAVE BEEN BAKING SINCE I WAS 16. CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR TOGETHER, DAMMIT.” 

... I still haven't decided if I'm going to follow her emphatic order, because I've always followed my recipe and it turns out fine!

Comments

[dark_phoenix54]

I always melt the butter, even though my mother taught me to cream the shit. I'm much too lazy (and old) to be beating on solid butter.

[gatheringrivers]

I still haven't decided if I'm going to follow her emphatic order, because I've always followed my recipe and it turns out fine!

They'll turn out BETTER if you do. :)

The thing I usually cream butter and sugar for, hard sauce, one year I got lazy and melted the butter instead.

Hard sauce became crumbly sauce. :(

It's worth it to go through the effort. You can SOFTEN the butter (leave it out until it gets to room temperature) but don't outright melt it. Stuff separates when it melts.

Also: Use a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer) on low. It'll save your hands/wrists.

[lichprincessceleste]

My evil gremlin brain says make two batches one creamed one melted and see what the difference is...but even my early 30s back is protesting at that thought.

[garpu]

If you need softened butter, but forgot to leave it out, put the stick between two pieces of parchment paper and beat the hell out of it with a rolling pin or a saucepan/frypan.

[matgb]

Or just dice it into inch big chunks and put it into hand hot water

[minim_calibre]

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2022/04/19/how-to-make-fudgier-cookies-melted-butter

(Creaming it will change the texture. I second the one batch melted, one batch creamed test idea.)

[danabren]

I tend to soften-melt frozen butter in the microwave in 20-second increments, enough that it's somewhat holding its shape but also turning a bit liquid. My shoulders and arms have zero interest in creaming sugar into firm-ish room temperature butter, thanks.

[silverusagi]

I did see a thing recently (which of course now I can't find) that made the same chocolate chip cookie recipe with 1) cold butter out of the fridge, 2) soft room temperature butter, 3) melted butter, and how differently the texture came out for all three.

Well, I've been baking since I was eight...

[movingfinger]

Melted butter + spices + molasses is the usual, standard operation for gingersnaps---you don't want the rise that beating air into the butter causes, you want crispness and, if you're using a fancy cutter, a defined shape. So, melt the butter. These are gingersnaps, not sugar cookies.

Adding the spices to the melted butter mixture while it's warm (not hot-hot), letting it sit a little, then adding the molasses, helps the spice flavors bloom, so do try that if your spices are less fresh.

The only amendment I could suggest would be lightly browning the butter as you melt it, which will deepen the flavor and play off the molasses and spice well, but that's a refinement with fairly low payoff.

Wishing you a spicy holiday season, respectfully, Drive By Commenter

[kitchenmouse]

Creaming butter and sugar together is mechanical leavening (air gets trapped as you cream in the sugar crystals). She will get fluffier and softer cookies. Melting will give a tougher or crispier (depending on your other ingredients) that will be denser. Both should be tasty, just different chewing experiences.