eli5: why isn’t it possible to cook e.g. cookies at twice the temperature for half the time? obviously i know it isn’t possible, but *why*? what’s the physics behind it?

Question

eli5: why isn’t it possible to cook e.g. cookies at twice the temperature for half the time? obviously i know it isn’t possible, but *why*? what’s the physics behind it?

In: 9

Answer 1

Heat conduction. Every material, in this case dough, has a different rate at which it can transport heat, in this case into the inside of your cookie. If you have more incoming heat at the surface than the dough can conduct you get more browning/burning. The correct cooking temperature for pretty much anything is finding a balance between getting it hot enough in the center, while you don’t burn the outside too much.