Quick Breads

 A quick bread is a type of bread which is leavened with chemical leaveners such as baking powder, sodium bicarbonate, or cream of tartar. Unlike yeast breads which often take hours to rise and can vary greatly based on external factors such as temperature, breads made with chemical leaveners are relatively uniform, reliable, and quick. Quick breads are broadly understood as including many cakes, as well as banana bread, cornbread, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, scones, and soda bread. bread leavened baking powdersodium bicarbonatecream of tartaryeastcakesbanana breadcornbreadbiscuits muffinspancakessconessoda bread leavened baking powdersodium bicarbonatecream of tartaryeastcakesbanana breadcornbreadbiscuits muffinspancakessconessoda bread

 Almost all quick breads have only five basic ingredients: flour, baking powder (and/or baking soda), eggs, fat (butter, margarine, shortening, or oil), and milk (or another liquid). Everything beyond these basic ingredients is for variation in flavor and texture.[1] The type of bread produced is variable based predominantly on the method of mixing, the major flavoring, and the ratio of liquid in the batter. Some batters will be thin enough to pour, and others will be thick and consequently be dropped. [1]

 There are three basic methods for making quick breads: the quick-bread method, the creaming method, and the biscuit method. These three methods combine the rise of the chemical leavener with advantageous lift from other ingredients.

 The biscuit method or shortening method is a technique which is used for biscuits, scones, and pie crusts. This method cuts chilled fat (whether lard, butter, or shortening) into dry ingredients using a food processor, pastry blender, or fork. The layering from these process gives rise and adds flakiness as the folds of fat melt during baking. Confusingly, while this technique produces "shortened" cakes and breads (regardless of whether the chosen fat is vegetable shortening), shortbread cookies are made with the creaming method. food processorpastry blendershortbreadfood processorpastry blendershortbread

 The muffin method, also known as the quick- bread method, blending method and stirring method, calls for measurement of dry and wet ingredients separately, then quickly mixing the two. Often wet ingredients will include beaten eggs which have trapped air for added rise. In these recipes, the fats are liquid, such as cooking oil. Usually mixing is done using a tool with a wide head such as a spoon or spatula to prevent the dough from becoming over beaten and deflating the egg's lift. cooking oilspatula cooking oilspatula

 The creaming method is frequently used for cake batters. The butter and sugar are creamed, or beaten together, until smooth and fluffy. Eggs and liquid flavoring mixed in, and finally dry and liquid ingredients are added in. The creaming method combines rise gained from air pockets in the creamed butter with the rise from the chemical leaveners. Gentle folding of the final ingredients prevents destroying these pockets.

 Aside from mixing methods, quick breads also vary widely in the consistency of their dough or batter. There are three main types of quick bread batter: pour batter, drop batter, and stiff dough. Pour batters have a dry:liquid ratio of 1:1 and is the most moist type of quick bread batter. Drop batters have a dry:liquid ratio of 3:1. Stiff dough, being the stiffest, has a ratio of about 7:1.

 Mixing: The secret to a perfect quick bread lies in the lightness and speed with which the ingredients are handled. To make a dough, first mix the dry ingredients well. Then cut into shortening with a pastry blender or two knives used scissor- fashion until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Next, add the liquid and stir just enough to moisten dry ingredients and hold them together.

 When making batters, unless otherwise directed, stir in the liquid only until dry ingredients are moistened. Muffin and pancake batters will be lumpy but, if over mixed, the breads will be tough and won’t rise to full volume and muffins will have unattractive “tunnels.”  For some breads, however, ingredients should be well mixed. In each case, always be sure to follow the directions carefully.

Serving Quick Breads  Most quick breads are best fresh from the oven. Turn muffins out of their cups as soon as they are ready, or they will steam and become soggy.  Fruit and nut loaves may be hard to slice soon after they come from the oven. When allowed to cool, wrapped and left overnight, they often develop a mellower flavor and are easier to slice.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers  Quick breads stale quickly.  To retain moisture, store tightly wrapped, at room temperature.  Reheat when ready to eat.

Quick Bread – Crepe

Quick Bread - Biscuits

Quick Bread - Scones

Quick Breads- Pancakes

Quick Breads - Scones

Yeast Rolls – NOT a Quick Bread

Quick Breads ....