I mentioned wanting to try to make gluten-free chocolate cookies last
night shortly before I taught another lesson and, by the time I was done
teaching, my wife had found and doctored a recipe and made them. I
haven't seen the original recipe but it brings up a question:

She said the recipe was for flourless chocolate cookies - flourless
circumventing the whole gluten-free-or-not issue very nicely. And she
said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. I don't
know if that's what it's called in other countries - here, it's a finer
than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often used to dust the
tops of cakes and other baked goods. Powdered sugar would be another
name for it, I guess. So that's my question -

Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
here, I believe) instead?

BTW, my wife decided to add some hazelnut flour to the recipe, its
original "flourless" designation not withstanding. The resulting
cookies were, well, good enough that I ate more than one as soon as
they'd cooled down.

Thanks in advance.

-S-

On 2/27/2013 2:54 PM, Steve Freides wrote:

> Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
> What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
> here, I believe) instead?
>
One possible reason - US confectioners' sugar generally contains a small
amount of cornstarch.
Also - 'standard' sugar can give a different texture to the cookie.

> BTW, my wife decided to add some hazelnut flour to the recipe, its
> original "flourless" designation not withstanding. The resulting
> cookies were, well, good enough that I ate more than one as soon as
> they'd cooled down.
>
Will you be sharing the amended recipe????

S Viemeister wrote:
> On 2/27/2013 2:54 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>> Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
>> What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
>> here, I believe) instead?
>>
> One possible reason - US confectioners' sugar generally contains a
> small amount of cornstarch.
> Also - 'standard' sugar can give a different texture to the cookie.
>
>> BTW, my wife decided to add some hazelnut flour to the recipe, its
>> original "flourless" designation not withstanding. The resulting
>> cookies were, well, good enough that I ate more than one as soon as
>> they'd cooled down.
>>
> Will you be sharing the amended recipe????

I will ask my wife. She is not a baker - I don't know if she'll even
remember today what she did yesterday. She's one of those types who
loves to improvise in the kitchen and we rarely taste the same thing
twice from her.

But I'll ask.

-S-

S Viemeister wrote:

> > Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
> > What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
> > here, I believe) instead?
> >
> One possible reason - US confectioners' sugar generally contains a small
> amount of cornstarch.
> Also - 'standard' sugar can give a different texture to the cookie.

Naturally, powdered sugar dissolves more readily than granulated. In very
light baked goods, powdered sugar is better. Like in meringues or angel cake.

In article >,
says...
>
> S Viemeister wrote:
>
> > > Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
> > > What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
> > > here, I believe) instead?
> > >
> > One possible reason - US confectioners' sugar generally contains a small
> > amount of cornstarch.
> > Also - 'standard' sugar can give a different texture to the cookie.
>
> Naturally, powdered sugar dissolves more readily than granulated. In very
> light baked goods, powdered sugar is better. Like in meringues or angel cake.

For meringues and very light sponge, I don't bother to buy fine sugar;
I just give some ordinary granulated sugar a quick blast in the FP

Janet UK

On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:10:50 -0500, "Steve Freides" >
wrote:

> S Viemeister wrote:
> > On 2/27/2013 2:54 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
> >
> >> Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
> >> What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
> >> here, I believe) instead?
> >>
> > One possible reason - US confectioners' sugar generally contains a
> > small amount of cornstarch.
> > Also - 'standard' sugar can give a different texture to the cookie.
> >
> >> BTW, my wife decided to add some hazelnut flour to the recipe, its
> >> original "flourless" designation not withstanding. The resulting
> >> cookies were, well, good enough that I ate more than one as soon as
> >> they'd cooled down.
> >>
> > Will you be sharing the amended recipe????
>
> I will ask my wife. She is not a baker - I don't know if she'll even
> remember today what she did yesterday. She's one of those types who
> loves to improvise in the kitchen and we rarely taste the same thing
> twice from her.
>
> But I'll ask.
>
You can always try this recipe too.
http://www.divine-baking.com/2011/04...e-cookies.html

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:44:54 -0000, Janet > wrote:

> For meringues and very light sponge, I don't bother to buy fine sugar;
> I just give some ordinary granulated sugar a quick blast in the FP

It works like a charm and I don't have to buy special boxes of extra
fine sugar anymore.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Feb 27, 2:54*pm, "Steve Freides" > wrote:
> I mentioned wanting to try to make gluten-free chocolate cookies last
> night shortly before I taught another lesson and, by the time I was done
> teaching, my wife had found and doctored a recipe and made them. *I
> haven't seen the original recipe but it brings up a question:
>
> She said the recipe was for flourless chocolate cookies - flourless
> circumventing the whole gluten-free-or-not issue very nicely. *And she
> said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. *I don't
> know if that's what it's called in other countries - here, it's a finer
> than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often used to dust the
> tops of cakes and other baked goods. *Powdered sugar would be another
> name for it, I guess. *So that's my question -
>
> Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
> What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
> here, I believe) instead?
>
> BTW, my wife decided to add some hazelnut flour to the recipe, its
> original "flourless" designation not withstanding. *The resulting
> cookies were, well, good enough that I ate more than one as soon as
> they'd cooled down.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> -S-

The original cookie recipe was probably based on a flourless chocolate
cake, popular among the Jewish community during Passover. The cake
gets its structure from the eggs and the cocoa. There's no flour and
no leavening. I can't tell you what they taste like since I've only
read about them. The cookie recipe probably took the flourless cake
recipe and made the batter thicker by adding powdered sugar and/or
reducing the amount of eggs

On 2/27/2013 3:53 PM, sf wrote:

> You can always try this recipe too.
> http://www.divine-baking.com/2011/04...e-cookies.html
>
Thanks, I've printed that out - my son is a chocoholic.

Steve Freides wrote:
>
> said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. I don't
> know if that's what it's called in other countries - here, it's a finer
> than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often used to dust the
> tops of cakes and other baked goods. Powdered sugar would be another
> name for it, I guess. So that's my question -

Wrong. Confectioner's sugar is coarser than
powdered sugar. Confectioner's sugar is pure
sucrose. Powdered sugar has some starch added
as an anticaking agent.

On 2/27/2013 6:25 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> Steve Freides wrote:
>>
>> said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. I don't
>> know if that's what it's called in other countries - here, it's a finer
>> than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often used to dust the
>> tops of cakes and other baked goods. Powdered sugar would be another
>> name for it, I guess. So that's my question -
>
> Wrong. Confectioner's sugar is coarser than
> powdered sugar. Confectioner's sugar is pure
> sucrose. Powdered sugar has some starch added
> as an anticaking agent.
>
Hmm.
Domino confectioners' sugar lists cornstarch as an ingredient.

Perhaps you were thinking of superfine sugar? It's coarser than
confectioners', but finer than standard granulated.

S Viemeister wrote:
>
> On 2/27/2013 6:25 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> > Steve Freides wrote:
> >>
> >> said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. I don't
> >> know if that's what it's called in other countries - here, it's a finer
> >> than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often used to dust the
> >> tops of cakes and other baked goods. Powdered sugar would be another
> >> name for it, I guess. So that's my question -
> >
> > Wrong. Confectioner's sugar is coarser than
> > powdered sugar. Confectioner's sugar is pure
> > sucrose. Powdered sugar has some starch added
> > as an anticaking agent.
> >
> Hmm.
> Domino confectioners' sugar lists cornstarch as an ingredient.
>
> Perhaps you were thinking of superfine sugar? It's coarser than
> confectioners', but finer than standard granulated.

I based what I said on what I thought was C&H
confectioner's sugar. I just checked to make
sure, and what I have is not confectioner's
sugar. It's labelled as baker's sugar, and
subtitled ultrafine sugar. It is pure sucrose.
I guess I've never actually seen confectioner's
sugar (unless it's the same as powdered sugar).

On 2/27/2013 6:57 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> S Viemeister wrote:
>> On 2/27/2013 6:25 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
>>> Steve Freides wrote:
>>>> said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. I don't
>>>> know if that's what it's called in other countries - here, it's a finer
>>>> than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often used to dust the
>>>> tops of cakes and other baked goods. Powdered sugar would be another
>>>> name for it, I guess. So that's my question -
>>> Wrong. Confectioner's sugar is coarser than
>>> powdered sugar. Confectioner's sugar is pure
>>> sucrose. Powdered sugar has some starch added
>>> as an anticaking agent.
>> Hmm.
>> Domino confectioners' sugar lists cornstarch as an ingredient.
>> Perhaps you were thinking of superfine sugar? It's coarser than
>> confectioners', but finer than standard granulated.
>
> I based what I said on what I thought was C&H
> confectioner's sugar. I just checked to make
> sure, and what I have is not confectioner's
> sugar. It's labelled as baker's sugar, and
> subtitled ultrafine sugar. It is pure sucrose.
> I guess I've never actually seen confectioner's
> sugar (unless it's the same as powdered sugar).
>
Yes, confectioners' sugar (US) is powdered sugar with added cornstarch.
The powdered sugar I buy in the UK has no cornstarch.

S Viemeister wrote:
> On 2/27/2013 3:53 PM, sf wrote:
>
>> You can always try this recipe too.
>> http://www.divine-baking.com/2011/04...e-cookies.html
>>
> Thanks, I've printed that out - my son is a chocoholic.

Well, I actually got some information out of her. Here you go, with my
wife's changes in parenthesis. Oh, and they're all gone already.

http://food52.com/blog/4615-jenny-s-...colate-cookies

Recipe:

2.5 cups powdered sugar (I did 1.5 cups)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 egg whites (I did 2 whole eggs)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used vanilla syrup because I couldn't
find the extract)

2.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I did 1 cup)

(I added 1/2 cup hazelnut meal)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line baking sheet(s)with parchment paper

2. In a bowl of standing mixer or large bowl with hand held mixer , mix
powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt on low. Stir in the egg
whites with a stand or hand mixer until the batter is well mixed. Stir
in the vanilla extract and chocolate chips by hand. The batter will look
weird. Don't worry about it.

3. Using a small cookie scoop or spoon blob batter onto the baking
trays, about an inch apart. They will spread a bit.

4. Bake until the cookies are cracking on the surface, about 15
minutes.

5. Let cool for ten minutes on the trays then carefully remove to
cooling rack.

6. These will keep in covered container for three days but you'll never
keep them that long.

-S-

Janet wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>>
>> S Viemeister wrote:
>>
>>>> Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and
>>>> why? What would happen if you used regular sugar (called
>>>> granulated sugar here, I believe) instead?
>>>>
>>> One possible reason - US confectioners' sugar generally contains a
>>> small amount of cornstarch.
>>> Also - 'standard' sugar can give a different texture to the cookie.
>>
>> Naturally, powdered sugar dissolves more readily than granulated. In
>> very light baked goods, powdered sugar is better. Like in meringues
>> or angel cake.
>
> For meringues and very light sponge, I don't bother to buy fine
> sugar; I just give some ordinary granulated sugar a quick blast in
> the FP
>
> Janet UK

Ah, we almost never use our food processor.

-S-

wrote:
> On Feb 27, 2:54 pm, "Steve Freides" > wrote:
>> I mentioned wanting to try to make gluten-free chocolate cookies last
>> night shortly before I taught another lesson and, by the time I was
>> done teaching, my wife had found and doctored a recipe and made
>> them. I haven't seen the original recipe but it brings up a question:
>>
>> She said the recipe was for flourless chocolate cookies - flourless
>> circumventing the whole gluten-free-or-not issue very nicely. And she
>> said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. I
>> don't know if that's what it's called in other countries - here,
>> it's a finer than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often
>> used to dust the tops of cakes and other baked goods. Powdered sugar
>> would be another name for it, I guess. So that's my question -
>>
>> Is powdered sugar generally used in flourless baking recipes and why?
>> What would happen if you used regular sugar (called granulated sugar
>> here, I believe) instead?
>>
>> BTW, my wife decided to add some hazelnut flour to the recipe, its
>> original "flourless" designation not withstanding. The resulting
>> cookies were, well, good enough that I ate more than one as soon as
>> they'd cooled down.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>> -S-
>
> The original cookie recipe was probably based on a flourless chocolate
> cake, popular among the Jewish community during Passover. The cake
> gets its structure from the eggs and the cocoa. There's no flour and
> no leavening. I can't tell you what they taste like since I've only
> read about them. The cookie recipe probably took the flourless cake
> recipe and made the batter thicker by adding powdered sugar and/or
> reducing the amount of eggs

Good thought there - I'm Jewish and have had quite a few Passover cakes,
about half of them terrible, over the years. The combination of prunes
and chocolate, sometimes used in these cakes, has always tasted odd to
me.

-S-

On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:44:53 -0500, S Viemeister
> wrote:

> On 2/27/2013 3:53 PM, sf wrote:
>
> > You can always try this recipe too.
> > http://www.divine-baking.com/2011/04...e-cookies.html
> >
> Thanks, I've printed that out - my son is a chocoholic.

YW!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:25:36 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

> Steve Freides wrote:
> >
> > said the recipe called for, and she used, confectioners' sugar. I don't
> > know if that's what it's called in other countries - here, it's a finer
> > than usual sugar, basically a powdered, that's often used to dust the
> > tops of cakes and other baked goods. Powdered sugar would be another
> > name for it, I guess. So that's my question -
>
> Wrong. Confectioner's sugar is coarser than
> powdered sugar. Confectioner's sugar is pure
> sucrose. Powdered sugar has some starch added
> as an anticaking agent.

I think the terms are interchangeable in the average consumer's
vocabulary. One type is British and the other American. That's the
real difference.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:19:41 -0500, "Steve Freides" >
wrote:

> Ah, we almost never use our food processor.

This is a great excuse to drag it out. It really works.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

"Susan" > wrote in message
...

> Okay, I'll try to post a few things I make regularly, though it changes a
> lot seasonally. I pretty much only cook outdoors in nice weather, lots of
> salads and grilled proteins and veggies.

Thanks We are in winter atm though
--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 2/27/2013 11:17 PM, Steve Freides wrote:

> Well, I actually got some information out of her. Here you go, with my
> wife's changes in parenthesis. Oh, and they're all gone already.
>(snip)

Thank you both!
I may try that this weekend.

On 2/28/2013 12:08 AM, sf wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:19:41 -0500, "Steve Freides" >
> wrote:
>
>> Ah, we almost never use our food processor.
>
> This is a great excuse to drag it out. It really works.
>
Indeed it does.
My food processor and stand mixer both have permanent spots on the
counter - if I had to drag them out every time I wanted to use them, I
wouldn't use them nearly as often as I do.

On Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:31:43 -0500, S Viemeister
> wrote:

> On 2/28/2013 12:08 AM, sf wrote:
> > On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:19:41 -0500, "Steve Freides" >
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Ah, we almost never use our food processor.
> >
> > This is a great excuse to drag it out. It really works.
> >
> Indeed it does.
> My food processor and stand mixer both have permanent spots on the
> counter - if I had to drag them out every time I wanted to use them, I
> wouldn't use them nearly as often as I do.

That's where mine live too and I have the same attitude: out of sight,
out of mind... to much effort involved taking them out and putting
them away, so might as well use an alternative method to get the job
done. I do keep my mini chopper on a roll out shelf in a lower
cabinet, but it's at the front and I don't have to dig for it.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

sf wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:31:43 -0500, S Viemeister
> > wrote:
>
>> On 2/28/2013 12:08 AM, sf wrote:
>>> On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:19:41 -0500, "Steve Freides" >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ah, we almost never use our food processor.
>>>
>>> This is a great excuse to drag it out. It really works.
>>>
>> Indeed it does.
>> My food processor and stand mixer both have permanent spots on the
>> counter - if I had to drag them out every time I wanted to use them,
>> I wouldn't use them nearly as often as I do.
>
> That's where mine live too and I have the same attitude: out of sight,
> out of mind... to much effort involved taking them out and putting
> them away, so might as well use an alternative method to get the job
> done. I do keep my mini chopper on a roll out shelf in a lower
> cabinet, but it's at the front and I don't have to dig for it.

We have a Sunbeam Oskar, a mini food processor, out on the kitchen
cabinet but we don't even use that much, either. I use it for my
homemade nut butter, and other than that, it's probably used a few times
a year at best.

Our kitchen is original and the house is from 1930 - we've talked a lot
about what we'd do if and when we redo the kitchen, but I think we're
going to have to put the kids through college first <sigh>.

-S-

On Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:06:43 -0500, "Steve Freides" >
wrote:

> We have a Sunbeam Oskar, a mini food processor, out on the kitchen
> cabinet but we don't even use that much, either. I use it for my
> homemade nut butter, and other than that, it's probably used a few times
> a year at best.
>
> Our kitchen is original and the house is from 1930 - we've talked a lot
> about what we'd do if and when we redo the kitchen, but I think we're
> going to have to put the kids through college first <sigh>.

We updated our kitchen a very few years ago (3?) and love what we did
- which was upgrade the counters (we installed granite, but I'd rather
have formica than 6 inch tiles all over everything), installed roll
out shelves in all the bottom cabinets and added a little more than
the building code's regulations for electrical outlets. I have two
places where I wish I'd insisted on a 4 plug instead of a two plug
because I always need more in one particular spot (original placement)
and another one gets more use than I expected.. Oh well. It's a
whole lot better than what we had before with extension cords all over
the place!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.