Chemistry of Food and Cooking Project: Delectable French Macaroons
Reflection:
Question A: When making macarons, how will the consistency of the almond flour, as measured by amount of sifting, change the texture, rise and overall success rate of the cookie? My hypothesis was that the more I sift the flour the better the overall cookie is going to be. When making macarons you add the dry ingredients to the meringue through a process called “macaronage”, it is a very crucial step. This is also where my experiment comes into play. The meringue mixture must be gently incorporated. This way the macaron batter becomes glossy, smooth and flows.
I proved this hypothesis when making my cookies. The flour and sugar particles must be small enough that they don't disturb and flatten your meringue. So the batter that was not sifted, overpowered the meringue, and the amino acid/protein bubbles that were created during the whisking process were popped and deflated. However the dry ingredients that I sifted multiple times were able to break down enough that they mixed into the meringue without being too heavy and popping the air bubbles. This step, in the end, made all the difference between a successful and unsuccessful cookie.
Question C: I believe that overall my question for this project was relevant. French macarons are very delicate, making them one of the most difficult cookies to bake successfully. Macarons rely heavily on a specific ratio of ingredients. You need to be careful to make sure you have the right amount of blanched almond flour, confectioners sugar, and meringue. Otherwise you will end up with a cookie that is either too thick or too runny - meaning it will not rise correctly when baked. I have attempted to make these cookies many times, but I was never successful until completing this experiment!
My experiment was based off of sifting the macaron flour and in the end it was very successful. The cookies that were sifted came out much better than the cookies that were not sifted. If I were to redo this experiment to get better results I would change the type/brand of flour I used as-well to add more diversity. By changing this variable I would get more definite results.
I proved this hypothesis when making my cookies. The flour and sugar particles must be small enough that they don't disturb and flatten your meringue. So the batter that was not sifted, overpowered the meringue, and the amino acid/protein bubbles that were created during the whisking process were popped and deflated. However the dry ingredients that I sifted multiple times were able to break down enough that they mixed into the meringue without being too heavy and popping the air bubbles. This step, in the end, made all the difference between a successful and unsuccessful cookie.
Question C: I believe that overall my question for this project was relevant. French macarons are very delicate, making them one of the most difficult cookies to bake successfully. Macarons rely heavily on a specific ratio of ingredients. You need to be careful to make sure you have the right amount of blanched almond flour, confectioners sugar, and meringue. Otherwise you will end up with a cookie that is either too thick or too runny - meaning it will not rise correctly when baked. I have attempted to make these cookies many times, but I was never successful until completing this experiment!
My experiment was based off of sifting the macaron flour and in the end it was very successful. The cookies that were sifted came out much better than the cookies that were not sifted. If I were to redo this experiment to get better results I would change the type/brand of flour I used as-well to add more diversity. By changing this variable I would get more definite results.
Chemistry of Construction: Project Reflection
Question 1: What new information did you learn through doing this project? I am interested in 1-2 paragraphs summarizing your new understanding of your topic. I am particularly interested in your new understanding about the two Essential Questions(located at the bottom of this document)
Throughout this project I learned all about composting and greenhouse gas emissions. When you compost your food waste, the harmful release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere is avoided, therefore reducing your carbon footprint. In the world over 1/3 of the food produced is wasted. A study conducted by Princeton University found that, "By composting organic waste versus landfilling it can reduce more than 50% of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions." This would lead to a huge global improvement.
I also spent time learning about the process that compost goes through to decompose. For example I studied a microorganism, a microscopic organism such as bacteria or fungus. This microbe plays a very important role in the decomposition process, without them decomposing wouldn’t be possible. Along with microorganisms an ideal environment for compost is warm temperatures, with moisture and access to oxygen. This will allow for microorganisms to thrive. Thus allowing composting to successfully decompose.
Question 2: What new skills, dispositions, or lessons did you learn from this project?
This could include learning a new software program or new skills in a program you were familiar with, learning how to work better in a group or how you can avoid certain pitfalls of group work in the future, learning how to budget time or money on a project etc. Be specific and show the growth you made as a person/student through the work you’ve done.
There were a few different skills I learned while doing this project. The first one being how to work on Canva, a marketing and presentation program. We were making a proposal for Sean, to try and make composting happen in the new school. This app allowed me to make a professional proposal that was refined and well done. This skill will help me in the future because I am sure there will be times in my life that I will need to make a professional presentation, for school or a job, and now I am confident in my ability to do so.
I also improved my time management skills during this project, because we kept moving back the deadline for the project. It was hard to find the motivation to work on it because I knew I had extra time to complete it. But nearing the end of the project I realized I still had a lot to do and therefore had to focus and use my time well to make sure I had a product I was proud of at the exhibition. In the end I feel I used my time and was proud of the work I completed.
Question 3: Next year I intend to repeat this project, with a major difference being that several student projects will actually be permanently installed in the new building. As part of the project, I intend to have this year’s juniors (aka YOU) present their prototypes to next year’s juniors as a starting point for the project. As I begin planning for next year’s fall semester and project work, what can I do to make the learning experience as engaging and meaningful as possible for those students? I value hearing about the aspects of the semester and project you felt were engaging and meaningful as well as aspects of the semester or project that you felt were uninteresting, confusing, or could otherwise be improved.
Specific feedback with concrete suggestions for improvement or about what aspects of the course to keep unchanged are most valuable to me. You are not being assessed on whether you say you liked this project. You are being assessed on the depth of thought your response displays, your specific claims and how you support them.
I overall really enjoyed this project. But next year I would spend more time explaining what the project will look like earlier on. I'm glad we moved the exhibition deadline back until after Christmas break because I feel like most of us were unsure what the project really was at first, this pushback could have been avoided if we had a little more clarification in the beginning. I also really enjoyed the freedom to choose almost any topic for this project. I believe it really inspired me because I was focusing on something I was passionate about. So just keep that aspect next year.
Throughout this project I learned all about composting and greenhouse gas emissions. When you compost your food waste, the harmful release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere is avoided, therefore reducing your carbon footprint. In the world over 1/3 of the food produced is wasted. A study conducted by Princeton University found that, "By composting organic waste versus landfilling it can reduce more than 50% of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions." This would lead to a huge global improvement.
I also spent time learning about the process that compost goes through to decompose. For example I studied a microorganism, a microscopic organism such as bacteria or fungus. This microbe plays a very important role in the decomposition process, without them decomposing wouldn’t be possible. Along with microorganisms an ideal environment for compost is warm temperatures, with moisture and access to oxygen. This will allow for microorganisms to thrive. Thus allowing composting to successfully decompose.
Question 2: What new skills, dispositions, or lessons did you learn from this project?
This could include learning a new software program or new skills in a program you were familiar with, learning how to work better in a group or how you can avoid certain pitfalls of group work in the future, learning how to budget time or money on a project etc. Be specific and show the growth you made as a person/student through the work you’ve done.
There were a few different skills I learned while doing this project. The first one being how to work on Canva, a marketing and presentation program. We were making a proposal for Sean, to try and make composting happen in the new school. This app allowed me to make a professional proposal that was refined and well done. This skill will help me in the future because I am sure there will be times in my life that I will need to make a professional presentation, for school or a job, and now I am confident in my ability to do so.
I also improved my time management skills during this project, because we kept moving back the deadline for the project. It was hard to find the motivation to work on it because I knew I had extra time to complete it. But nearing the end of the project I realized I still had a lot to do and therefore had to focus and use my time well to make sure I had a product I was proud of at the exhibition. In the end I feel I used my time and was proud of the work I completed.
Question 3: Next year I intend to repeat this project, with a major difference being that several student projects will actually be permanently installed in the new building. As part of the project, I intend to have this year’s juniors (aka YOU) present their prototypes to next year’s juniors as a starting point for the project. As I begin planning for next year’s fall semester and project work, what can I do to make the learning experience as engaging and meaningful as possible for those students? I value hearing about the aspects of the semester and project you felt were engaging and meaningful as well as aspects of the semester or project that you felt were uninteresting, confusing, or could otherwise be improved.
Specific feedback with concrete suggestions for improvement or about what aspects of the course to keep unchanged are most valuable to me. You are not being assessed on whether you say you liked this project. You are being assessed on the depth of thought your response displays, your specific claims and how you support them.
I overall really enjoyed this project. But next year I would spend more time explaining what the project will look like earlier on. I'm glad we moved the exhibition deadline back until after Christmas break because I feel like most of us were unsure what the project really was at first, this pushback could have been avoided if we had a little more clarification in the beginning. I also really enjoyed the freedom to choose almost any topic for this project. I believe it really inspired me because I was focusing on something I was passionate about. So just keep that aspect next year.
Why We Should Compost: Proposal
The Science Behind Composting: The Process Game
Displayed at Exhibition
Composting is the process of organic waste decomposing thanks too many vital organisms in the ecosystem. A microorganism is a microscopic organism such as bacteria or fungus. This microbe plays a very important role in the decomposition process, without them decomposing wouldn’t be possible. Along with microorganisms an ideal environment for compost is warm temperatures, with moisture and access to oxygen. This will allow for microorganisms to thrive. There are 5 steps that food waste goes through to become compost.
During this game you will place the different steps, 1 through 5 written on cards below in the order that they happen during the composting process. If you do this correctly you should be able to convert your apple core successfully back into usable soil.
Hints:
Mesophilic microorganisms vs thermophilic microorganisms: mesophilic microorganisms grow best in moderate temperatures while thermophilic microorganisms grow best at warm/hot temperatures.
Game Steps 1 through 5 in order (they will be mixed in the real game):
- Mesophilic microorganisms that thrive in temperatures of about 68 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit physically break down the biodegradable compounds in the compost.
- Mesophilic are replaced by thermophilic microorganisms, this part of the process can last between a few days to several months. The thermophilic microbes work to break down the organic materials into finer pieces.
- Higher temperatures are more when conducive to breaking down proteins, fats and complex carbohydrates. You need to be careful during this part of the process because if temperatures continue to rise through this process the compost pile can get too hot and can eventually kill off all the microorganisms. During this step you use aeration and turning over the compost pile to help with this issue, and provide more oxygen and less heat to the compost.
- This process can last for several months, mesophilic microorganisms resume control of the compost pile, meaning the temperatures begins cooling, and breaking down the fine organic matter.
- The compost is now usable material, such as dirt or humus (a distinct soil created through the process of composting)