Found out that one stick of butter in a recipe ruins the texture if it's too warm

I was making cookies last Sunday and got curious why my last batch came out like frisbees. So I looked it up on a baking science site and found out that butter at 68°F vs 72°F can change the spread by like 30 percent. Turns out my kitchen was too warm because the AC was out and I'd left the butter on the counter for an hour. I had no idea a few degrees made that big of a difference. Now I'm temping my butter with a meat thermometer like a weirdo. Has anyone else had their baking ruined by something that small?

3 comments

3 Comments

ben_nguyen23d ago

My sister once ruined a whole batch of macarons because her kitchen was 2 degrees too humid.

lunakim23d agoMost Upvoted

Dehumidifier is your best friend for macarons. I keep a small one running in my kitchen for at least an hour before I even start measuring my almond flour. Also try resting the piped shells in front of a fan for 10-15 minutes before they go in the oven. That extra dry surface helps them form those little feet way better.

king.andrew21d ago

Oh man, that sucks about your sister's batch. I actually saw somewhere, maybe it was a baking forum or a YouTube video I can't remember, that even small temperature shifts mess with the almond flour and egg white chemistry way more than people realize. @lunakim is totally spot on about the dehumidifier thing, I read this article that basically said the whole "resting period" is just a workaround for bad conditions. Honestly I bet your sister's kitchen was fine except for that tiny humidity jump. If you can't afford a dehumidifier, some bakers swear by leaving the piped shells in front of a space heater on low for a few minutes. Not too hot though or you'll melt the buttercream later!

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