"Cuthbert Thistlethwaite" > wrote in message
...
>
> Since I asked for advice about shortening, and people were kind enough
> to reply, it seems appropriate to follow up and tell what happened next.
<snip>
>
> With many thanks to the posters who guided me to less than lethal
> "shortening," I ran out and got some "0-trans fat Crisco," and will try
> some butter and other oils in the future.
>
> At about 7 minutes in the oven, all the cookies merged. They made
> little grooves where they met. When I removed them from the oven, I
> used a pizza cutter on the grooves. I didn't see this coming, because
> the dough was really pretty stiff.
>
> The cookies are very delicate, about 3" square. (I was hoping for little
> rounded lumps, maybe 2 inches in diameter.)
>
> I used an aluminum baking sheet, which I spritzed with a no-stick oil.
> I mean, the recipe said to do that. But, apparently, I greased the holy
> hell out of it, because the cookies are still moist on the bottoms. The
> sheet, however, is quite clean.
>
> The upside is that cookies are really, really good.


A couple of things:
1. I'm sure you've already been told that 0 trans-fats in the Crisco doesn't *really*
mean actual zero
2. When you get spreading with the first sheet, you can try a couple different things
with the remaining dough:
a. add a couple tablespoons of flour or powdered sugar
b. refrigerate the dough, or even freeze (after shaping into balls)
3. Ok, about the fat part of the recipe: oil shouldn't be substituted in cookie
recipes calling for butter. If you think these turned out funny, wait'll you see what
oil will do

Have you thought about using Smart Balance? They have a shortening, and I've used it
with great success for many recipes...even pie crusts. I won't go on extolling their
virtues since I don't want to be accused of posting spam (no, I don't work for them),
but suffice it to say it's a much healthier alternative, and works great.

kimberly