In the oven, the heat causes the ingredients to break down and recombine into new compounds, resulting in a chemical change. This is why your cookies come out with a different texture, flavor, and aroma than the original ingredients. It's like a little science experiment in your kitchen, and the result is a tasty treat that's all your own!
So, what exactly is a chemical change? It's when a substance is transformed into a new substance with different properties, like when the butter and sugar in your cookies caramelize and turn golden brown. This process is irreversible, meaning you can't turn your cookies back into their original ingredients. But don't worry, that's what makes baking so much fun - the thrill of creating something new and delicious!
Now, you might be wondering, what about physical changes? Those are changes that don't result in a new substance, like when you mix together different colors of paint or chop up a vegetable. In baking, physical changes happen when you cream together butter and sugar, or when you fold in flour to create a smooth batter. But the real magic happens when the physical changes meet the chemical reactions in the oven.
