GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- During long, scorching stretches of weather, we're always looking for new answers to an old question: How hot is it?
Today's answer is one that people with a sweet tooth will love: Hot enough to bake dashboard cookies!
Believe it or not, dashboard cooking is a common practice in places where 100-degree temps are normal, like Phoenix, Arizona.
Dashboard cooking takes a closed car, and plenty of patience. KARE 11 meteorologist Jonathan Yuhas says a closed car will generally be 30 to 40 degrees hotter than the outside air temperature, so if it is 100 degrees outside, the temp in a closed car will be approximately 140 degrees (significantly less than the 350 degrees people usually bake at).
We tried it ou in the KARE 11 parking lot. Producer Nick Petersen gave one a try, saying the outsides were done, but the insides were doughy.
One person who posted directions on the web says it takes approximately two and a half hours to bake a batch of cookies on your dashboard.
Cookies aren't the only fare people have experimented with. Others have cooked eggs on the dashboard, and one Arizona man even cooked steaks and veggies inside his car while he was at work. They were a perfect medium rare.
Here is the recipie KARE 11 News at 4 producer Justine Zirbes dug up for dashboard cookies.
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg, followed by flour mixture and chocolate chips.
Place dough on a large sheet of wax paper and roll into a log approximately 11-inches long by 2.5-inches wide. Freeze for 2-3 hours, or overnight.
When ready to bake, park your car in the sun on a 100F+ day.
Slice cookies into 1/4-inch thick slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Place baking sheet on car dashboard (with protective towel underneath) and bake for 2 1/2-3 hours, until done.
If you have a big dashboard (or a friend with another car), you can do two batches at once, otherwise you can save half of the dough for another day.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
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