 Flour  Liquid  Leavening agents  Fat  Sweeteners  Eggs  Flavoring

 Protein and starch in the flour give structure  Gluten- a protein that affects the texture and helps determine how the product will rise ◦ Gluten develops when flour is moistened and mixed, and hold the leavening agents ◦ Starch helps absorb some of the liquid that is added in most recipes

 All-purpose flour- the most popular, good results for most products  Cake flour- contains less gluten and gives cakes a tender structure

 Water and milk are the most common ◦ Eggs and fat too  Hydrate the protein and starch to form the gluten  Moistens and dissolves ingredients  Leavening agent when converted to steam  Milk adds flavor and nutrients

 Leavening agent- substance that produces gas in batters and doughs to make baked products rise and become light  Three leavening gases are air, steam, and carbon dioxide  Beating eggs, creaming fat and sugar together, folding doughs, and beating batters incorporates air

 Air: Is trapped when creaming fat and sugar, sifting flour, adding beaten egg whites ◦ When the mixture is heated, the air expands and the product rises  Steam: leavens products that contain high amounts of water ◦ Water heats as the product bakes and turns to steam and causes the product to rise

 Yeast: produces carbon dioxide as it grows ◦ Needs food (flour and sugar), liquid, and warm temperature

 Baking Soda: when mixed with flour and heated releases carbon dioxide ◦ Can produce an off flavor and color, so it is usually combined with an acidic ingredient  Baking Powder: contain a dry acid, baking soda, and starch or flour ◦ Double acting baking powder- release some carbon dioxide when moistened, and the rest when heated ◦ Too much baking powder can cause a product to collapse

 Adds richness, flavor, and tenderness  Usually cannot be eliminated, but can be substituted or reduced ◦ Applesauce or pureed dry fruits  Solid and liquid fats are not easily substituted with each other ◦ Example: oil instead of shortening

 Add flavor, richness, nutrients, and color  Help form structure  Add air when beaten  Can use substitutes such as just egg whites or liquid substitutes

 Sugar adds sweetness and flavor, helps crust brown  Fruits, vegetables, and nuts add flavor, texture, and nutrients ◦ Herbs, spices, and extracts in small amounts

 Amount of liquid in relation to flour determines batter or dough  Pour batters: steady stream ◦ Cakes, pancakes, waffles  Drop batters: thick, spooned in pans ◦ Quick breads and cookies  Soft doughs: sticky ◦ Biscuits, breads, cookies  Stiff doughs: firm ◦ Piecrust and cookies

 Correct amount of flour gives the correct amount of gluten needed for structure  Correct amounts of fat and sugar tenderize the gluten ◦ Too much weakens the cake  Correct amount of liquid provides moisture for the gluten to form  Correct number of eggs gives proteins that strengthen the gluten

 Mix the correct proportions of ingredients with the correct mixing method  Over mixing will cause the gluten to overdevelop, it will be tough

 Cream fat and sugar together until light and fluffy  Beat eggs into creamed fat and sugar  Add dry ingredients alternately with liquid ingredients  Dry ingredients are usually sifted together in a separate bowl

 Choose the appropriate size pan  The cake will have a gently rounded top if using the correct size pan  Grease and flour the pans, bottom and sides  Place in preheated oven and bake just until done  Insert a toothpick in the center and it will come out clean when done

 Good sources of carbohydrates, protein, B vitamins, iron  Most common quick breads: ◦ Muffins ◦ Loaf breads ◦ Biscuits

 Prepared using the muffin method of mixing ◦ Properly mixing liquid and dry ingredients ◦ Properly mixed: pebbly and rounded top when cooked

 Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl ◦ Flour, sugar, baking powder, spices  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients  Beat all liquid ingredients together in a small bowl until well blended ◦ Eggs, milk, water, oil, melted fat, liquid flavorings  Pour the liquid into the well ◦ Mix enough to moisten the dry ingredients ◦ Batter should be lumpy ◦ Few floury spots could remain  Fold in ingredients gently ◦ Raisins, chopped nuts, fruit  Don’t over mix: ◦ Peaks on top, tough, heavy ◦ Insides will have long narrow tunnels

 Grease muffin pans or use liners  Fill 2/3 full  Test for doneness 5 minutes before end of cooking time ◦ Insert toothpick, should come out clean ◦ Nicely browned

 Rolled- requires a stiff dough ◦ Cookie cutters are used ◦ Example: sugar cookies  Dropped- soft dough ◦ Drop or push off from spoon ◦ Spread more when cooked than rolled cookies, place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet ◦ Example: chocolate chip cookies

 Bar- soft dough ◦ Spread in square pan ◦ Can be chewy or cake like depending on thickness ◦ Example: brownies  Refrigerator- high proportion of fat ◦ Form dough into long roll, cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm ◦ Cut in thin slices once firm ◦ Example: pinwheels

continued  Pressed- rich, stiff dough ◦ Pack into cookie press ◦ Press out onto cookie sheet and bake ◦ Example: spritz cookies  Molded- stiff dough ◦ Break off small pieces of dough and shape with fingers ◦ Examples: crescents and small balls

 Flour, sugar, liquid, fat, salt, egg, and leavening agents  Have more fat and sugar and less liquid than cakes

 Conventional mixing method ◦ Cream fat and sugar, then add eggs, then flour  Cookies should be crisp and chewy, rather than light and fluffy

 Flat baking pan or cookie sheet  Bright shiny cookie sheets will give a light, delicate brown crust  Dark cookie sheets will give dark bottoms  May have to rotate pans during cooking to cook evenly is baking more than 1 pan

 2 main types of biscuits: ◦ Rolled and dropped ◦ Made using the pastry and biscuit method of mixing  Biscuit mixing method: ◦ Sift dry ingredients together ◦ Cut fat into dry ingredients ◦ Make a well, add liquid, stir until blended to form a soft dough

 Roll out dough to even thickness and cut with biscuit cutter ◦ Can also use rim of a glass  Turn out dough on slightly floured surface and knead 10 strokes ◦ Use your fingertips, not your hands as they give off warmth that will cause the fat to melt making the biscuits tough ◦ Overkneading results in tough, compact biscuits  Lightly dust biscuit cutter with flour ◦ Place straight down in dough ◦ Do not twist because dough can tear  Reroll any unused dough to create more biscuits  Place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart and bake

 Drop dough from a spoon  More liquid than rolled biscuits ◦ Too sticky to roll  Irregular shape ◦ Still flaky and full of flavor like rolled biscuits  Drop 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet  Can also spoon drop on a casserole for a topping