Bakeshop

Ingredient Basics  Common ingredients in all baking:  Flour-protein (gluten) and starch in flour gives most of the structure  Liquid- Usually water or milk for moistness  Leavening agents- causes product to rise  Fats- adds tenderness, richness and flavor  Sweeteners-provides sweetness and flavor, makes product tender, and helps crust brown  Eggs- help form the structure and binds ingredients together  Flavoring- extract flavors, spices, herb, vegetables, nuts

Leavening Agents  Leavening agent is a substance that triggers a reaction causing a baked product to rise  Types of leavening agents:  Air: trapped air in mixture expands when the product is heated.  Ex: Angel food is mainly leavened by beaten egg whites  Steam: As a product bakes, temperature of the water rises and steam is formed. The steam expands which causes product to rise. Ex: Cream puffs

Leavening Agents (cont.)  Yeast: is a living microorganism that produces carbon dioxide gas as it feeds.  Yeast requires food, liquid and warm temperatures.

Leavening Agents (cont.)  Baking soda: Leavening agent used with acidic liquids, such as buttermilk, yogurt, brown sugar, or chocolate.  Baking soda produces carbon dioxide gas when activated by the acidic liquid.  Baking powder: Made of baking soda and a powered acid (ex: cream of tarter) and filler (corn starch). When it gets wet it activates the acid and baking soda, causing the reaction.  Double Acting Baking Powder: Produces bubbles when it gets wet, and again when it gets hot.  Used in recipes with no acid, because it already contains the acid.

 Now that you understand how baking powder works, you can understand two things you often see in recipes:  Many recipes instruct you to mix all of the dry ingredients together and then add the liquid. That keeps the baking powder from reacting until the end of the mixing process.  Many recipes tell you to mix only briefly -- just until the ingredients are moistened. That minimizes the escape of the gas from the batter. If you were to stir for a long time, the reaction would end and the stirring would have allowed the bubbles to escape.

Batters and Dough  The amount of liquid in relation to the amount of flour determines whether a mixture is a batter or a dough.  A batter will have more liquid than dough.

Batters and Dough's  Four kinds of batter and dough: 1.Pour batter: thin enough to pour in a steady stream. Ex: Cakes, pancakes, waffles 2. Drop batter: are thick and are usually spooned into pans. Ex: Cookies and some quick breads 3. Soft dough: are soft and sticky but can be touched and handled. Ex: rolled biscuits, yeast breads and rolls, and some cookies start with soft dough 4. Stiff dough: are firm to the touch, easy to work with and cut. Ex: Piecrust and some cookies

Quick Breads  Baked products that are made with chemical leavening agents, such as baking soda and baking powder.  Examples: muffins, banana bread, scones, biscuits, pancakes.

Muffin Method of Mixing  Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and make a well in the center.  Mix all liquid ingredients in separate bowl and then pour them in the dry ingredient bowl.  Do not over mix  Mixture should be lumpy  A properly mixed muffin should have a rounded, pebbly top