Quick Breads

Quick Breads vs. Yeast Breads Bread categories are based on which LEAVENING they use, which make the bread RAISE. Yeast breads use YEAST. They take 2 to 5 HOURS to prepare. Quick breads use BAKING POWDER, BAKING SODA, OR STEAM to make the dough rise. They take about 30 to 90 MINUTES to prepare.

Do you know the muffin man? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-D7zwa1vUk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZJBXftTnms&feature=related

Leavening Agents for Quick Breads

First, a quick lesson on what is in dough. As you combine the flour with a liquid, the protein in the flour forms a strong, elastic, rubbery substance called gluten. The longer you stir or knead the dough, the stronger and more elastic the gluten gets! Some recipes call for kneading the dough, like for pizza. The gluten in this is strong. Others call for little stirring, like for muffins. The gluten in this is weak.

How to see the gluten: First, knead the dough 10 min.

Next, soak the dough in cold water.

As it soaks, the starch goes into the water, leaving the gluten.

As it is rinsed, the dough shrinks. Starch is washed down the sink.

Close-up view of gluten, which makes the dough strong and elastic

Compare the dough before to the gluten after rinsing Compare the dough before to the gluten after rinsing. How much starch is in flour?

Baking Soda – (sodium Bicarbonate) It acts ONE time, when the ingredients are combined with moisture. It gives off CARBON DIOXIDE when combined with something that is ACIDIC. The CO2 then expands and stretches the GLUTEN in the flour. The preheated oven then SETS the dough mixture as it bakes.

Baking Powder It has baking soda plus another chemical to act as the ACID. It’s like baking soda, but it ACTS TWO TIMES. When you combine dry and liquid ingredients, it GIVES OFF CO2.

Baking Powder Then when its placed in the heat of the oven, it GIVES MORE CO2. Most baking powder is known as DOUBLE ACTING BAKING POWDER. Baking soda and baking powder look the same, but can you interchange them? NO!!!

Steam Used with a thin batter only, with no help from baking powder or soda. The thin batter is baked in a very HOT oven. The heat is so intense that the steam RAISES the batter and the heat SETS the batter structure. One example of this is POPOVERS.

Methods of Preparing Quick Breads Muffin Method of Mixing And Biscuit Method of Mixing

Muffin Method Requires the use of LIQUID fat, such as COOKING OIL. Some examples of this are MUFFINS, COFFEE CAKES, and PANCAKES. The Steps in mixing: First PREHEAT the oven and GREASE the pans. Mix all DRY ingredients in one bowl. Mix all LIQUID ingredients in another bowl.

Muffin Method Make a WELL in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour all the LIQUID INGREDIENTS in the dry ingredients. Stir about 12 to 15 times, just until BARELY MIXED. Overmixing will cause: 1. PEAKED TOPS (not rounded) 2. TUNNELS INSIDE 3. TOUGH, NOT TENDER. Spoon or pour right into pans or griddle.

Biscuit Method Requires the use of SOLID fat, such as SHORTENING or BUTTER. Steps in mixing: First you need to PREHEAT the oven and USUALLY GREASE the pans. Mix all DRY ingredients in one bowl. Mix all LIQUID ingredients in another bowl.

Biscuit Method The SHORTENING or FAT is placed on top of the dry ingredients and are CUT IN with a PASTRY BLENDER until it looks like SMALL PEAS or CORNMEAL – EVEN CRUMBLY TEXTURE. Next, add the liquid ingredients JUST UNTIL MOISTENED. The dough is KNEADED only 3 to 12 times. The dough is then SHAPED or CUT and BAKED.

Dough/Batter Classifications POUR BATTER is equal amounts of dry and ingredient ingredients. Examples: Popovers Funnel cakes Pancakes Crepes

Dough/Batter Classifications DROP BATTER is 2 cups dry ingredients for every 1 cup of liquid ingredients. Examples: Muffins Loaf breads Coffee cakes

Dough/Batter Classifications SOFT DOUGH is 3 cups of dry ingredients for every 1 cup of liquid ingredients. Examples: Biscuits Scones

Ingredients and Their Purposes Flour – gives STRUCTURE Salt – small amounts to ENHANCE THE FLAVOR Sugar – SWEETENS the taste and BROWNS the crust Fat – may be liquid or solid. It TENDERIZES the texture.

Ingredients and Their Purposes Leavening agent – Gives off CARBON DIOXIDE to make the food rise. Liquid – helps to BIND all the ingredients together, ACTIVATE the leavening, and/or provide the needed ACID for the baking soda. Eggs – add STRUCTURE and helps to BIND ingredients together.