Chapter 42 Baking Basics

Basic ingredients for baking: Flour Liquids Leavening Agents Fats Sweeteners Eggs Flavorings

Flours White flour is made up of endosperm, so it contains starch and proteins that give structure to baked goods. Some of the proteins in wheat flour combine with liquid to create an elastic substance called gluten. The more gluten a baked product has, the chewier its texture. Gluten develops when you mix flour with liquid. Longer you mix a dough or batter, the stronger the gluten becomes. Batter mixed shorter periods; dough is kneaded for up to 10 minutes to develop the gluten.

2 kinds of Wheat Soft Wheat Hard Wheat High in protein and forms very strong gluten. Prefer for making bread. Lower in protein and forms weak gluten. Ideal for tender, delicate texture.

Different kinds of flour

Buying and Storing Flour Store flour in a cool, dry place. Check for well sealed and undamaged Transfer flour from opened bag to a tightly covered container to keep it free from dirt, moisture, and pests. Refrigerate opened packages of whole grain flour, which contains oils that could turn rancid at room temperature.

Liquids Help develop gluten and make possible many of the physical and chemical changes that add structure and texture to baked goods. Different liquids create different results. Baked goods are made from either batter or dough. Batters have more liquid and less flour than doughs.

Doughs and Batters batters doughs Pour batters: are thin and are made from nearly equal amounts of liquid and flour. Example: cakes, pancakes, and waffles. Drop batters: thicker mixtures that contain twice as much flour as liquid. Example: cookies and quick breads Soft doughs: ratio of 1 part liquid to 3 parts flour. Sticky but moldable. Basis for many yeast breads and rolled biscuits. Stiff doughs: ration of 1 part liquid to 6-8 parts flour. Easiest to handle. Example: pie crusts and some rolled cookies.

Leavening Agents A substance that triggers a chemical reaction that makes a baked product grow larger, or rise. 5 forms: Air Steam Baking soda Baking powder yeast

Air: Angel food cake is mainly leavened by air in beaten egg whites. Steam and Air Air: Angel food cake is mainly leavened by air in beaten egg whites. Steam: leavens baked goods that contain large amounts of liquid. The heat turns liquid into steam. As steam expands and rises so does the food. Examples: cream puffs

Buying and Storing Leavening Agents Baking soda and Baking powder and active dry yeast are grouped together in the store. These need to be stored in cool, dry cabinet. Compressed yeast is found in the refrigerated section. Store in the refrigerator. Read use by date and sell by date labels. You can test yeast in a small bowl with a pinch of sugar and enough warm water to dissolve. Set aside for 5 to 10 min. If mixture puffs and foams, yeast is alive. Process is called Proofing.

Fats Add richness and flavor to baked goods. Help crusts brown and create tender textures. Vegetable shortening is an oil that has be hydrogenated, or chemically altered to make it solid. Makes very flaky piecrusts and bisucuits. Solid fats and oils work differently in baking. Oils add moistness and density, not volume. IF A RECIPE CALLS FOR Oil, ALWAYS USE OIL AND NOT SOLID FAT!

Storing Fats Keep butter and margarine in the coldest parts of the fridge. Wrap well, they tend to pick up aromas and flavors from other foods. Use butter within a month of purchase and margarine within 2 months. Can freeze up to 4 months.

Sweeteners Add flavor and tenderness and help with browning. 4 kinds: sugar, honey, molasses, corn syrup Sugar: highly refined sucrose crystals made by boiling the juice of sugarcane or sugar beets. Powdered sugar: pulverized granulated sugar with a trace of added cornstarch. Brown sugar: granulated sugar coated with molasses. Honey: mild clover honey is most popular in baking. Contains fructose which is much sweeter than sucrose. Holds more moisture than sugar. Baked goods stay fresher longer.

Sweeteners Molasses: a syrup that forms when sugarcane juice is boiled to make crystallized sugar. Less sweet than sugar. Light molasses is extracted first and is highest in sweetness. Corn syrup: made by breaking down the starch in corn into dextrose and water. Dark corn syrup has added caramel flavoring. Often used in frostings and candies.

Buying and Storing Sweeteners Keep in tightly sealed containers in a cool dry area. Wipe containers after using. Remove lumps by sifting.

Eggs Fats in eggs add flavor, color, richness, and tenderness. Fats in the yolk create an emulsion, binding liquids and fats in the recipe to keep batters from separating. Beating egg whites adds air and volume to batters. Heating egg whites helps set their structure.

Flavorings Recips often include spices or liquid extracts, such as maple, almond, or vanilla. Can add nuts, dried fruit, zest, or flavored syrup. Can change the texture and color and flavor.

The Baking Process Choose oven temperature Choose pans Prepare pans Bake the food Removing baked products from pans

Choose oven temperature Baking takes precise timing. Heat reaches the inside of the biscuit, activating leavening agents that push against the crust to raise the biscuit. Help baked goods rise properly. If too hot , the crust forms too quickly. Preheat oven if the recipe says to.

Choose Pans Use the type and size of pan listed in the recipe. If need to substitute make sure they have the same volumes. Different materials transfer heat at different rates.. Pans made of glass or dark metal retain more heat and can create a thick crust. Lower temp by 10 degrees when using dark metal pans and 25 degrees when using glass.

Prepare Pans Prepare pan before mixing ingredients. Do not grease the pan when making a high fat recipe or when cooking in a microwave oven. Also, don’t grease the pan when making cakes with beaten egg whites, such as angel food cake. They need to cling to the sides of the pan to rise. Grease and flour, Spray with cooking spray, and line with paper.

Bake the food Allow at least 1 inch of space between pans on a rack and between pans and oven walls. Crowded pans may create a hot spot, an area of concentrated heat that can cause uneven baking and browning. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Start checking doneness about 5 minutes before the time is up.

Baking in a Convection Oven Creates a continuous current of hot air that speeds some chemical reactions in foods. Products brown faster and lose less moisture. Reduce temp by 25 to 50 degrees. Reduce baking time by 1/3

Baking in a microwave oven Microwave ovens do not bake; they cook with moist heat. Don’t brown or develop a crust. For best results use a recipe developed for microwaving.

Removing Baked Products from Pans Most cookies and muffins should be removed fromt the pan immediately. Cakes made without fat need to cool completely in the pan. Use wire racks to promote quick cooling. To remove cakes and quickbreads from the pan: 1. loosen 3. lift 5. cool 2. Flip 4. flip again

Storing Baked Products Cool baked good thouroughly before storing. Can cause food to become soggy and spoil. If not going to use right away, put away immediately. Baked goods begin to lose quality the moment they finish baking. Most cookies, cakes, and breads can be kept at room temp in a sealed container for 3 days. Usually freeze well. Do not freeze filled foods, fillings tend to separate when they thaw.