1. Ingredients and Techniques for Baking
FACS Standards 8.5.1, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4, 8.5.5, 8.5.6, 8.5.7
Kowtaluk, Helen and Orphanos Kopan, Alice. Food For Today. McGraw Hill-Glencoe

2. Ingredient Basics Common to all baked goods:
Flour, Liquid, Leavening agents, Fat, Sweeteners, Eggs, Flavorings
Generally nutritious, but many are high in fat, sugar, and calories

3. Flour
Proteins and starch in flour make up most of a baked product’s structure
GLUTEN – protein that affects the texture of a baked product and helps determine how the product will rise
STARCH – helps absorb some of the liquid added in most baked goods

4. Types of Flours
All – purpose flour – most popular in the U.S.; gives good results for most products
Bread flour – highest gluten content and five bread a strong structure
Cake flour – contains less gluten and gives cake a tender structure

5. Whole-Grain Flour
Weaker gluten than all-purpose; some have no gluten at all, explaining why products rise less and are heavier textured
Include: rye, wheat, and cornmeal
Generally used with all-purpose flour in equal proportions

6. Stir, rather than sift
Should be stored in refrigerator because of the fat
Store other flours in cool, dry place in airtight containers

7. Liquid Play a role in physical and chemical changes during baking
Water and milk – most common
Milk adds flavor and nutrients and helps baked goods brown

8. To reduce fat, use fat-free milk
Buttermilk adds slightly tangy flavor, makes mixture more acidic and affects the kind of leavening agent needed

9. Leavening Agents
Substance that triggers a chemical reaction causing a baked product to rise, make products less compact, and softer texture
Types – air, steam, and yeast

10. AIR – trapped in mixtures that are beaten; trapped air expands the product rises
Angel Food Cake leavened by air in beaten egg whites

11. STEAM – in products that contain a lot of water; as water heats, turns to steam, expanding, causing product to rise
Popovers and cream puffs leavened by steam

12. YEAST – microorganism producing CO2
Needs food, liquid, and warm temperature to grow
Yeast forms available – active and quick-rising dry and compressed yeast
Usually has an expiration date on package

13. BAKING SODA – used whenever buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, or other acidic liquid is used, producing CO2 gas

14. BAKING POWDER – made of baking soda and powdered acid – cream of tartar
Most common – double-acting, releasing CO2 when first mixed with a liquid and remaining released when heated

15. Fat
Although adding calories, also adds richness, flavor, and tenderness
Solid or liquid – not easily substituted for one another
In place of butter or margarine, use regular margarine, but not soft, whipped, or liquid margarines or spreads

16. May contain air, water, or oil, affecting the end results
Can substitute sold shortening for butter or margarine
Any oil can be used as long as it has a mild flavor

17. Usually can’t be eliminated, often can be reduced or partially substituted with other ingredients
Applesauce or puréed dried fruits – common substitutes

18. Refrigerate lard, butter, and margarine
Store shortening and oils at room temperature unless label states otherwise

19. Eggs Add flavor, nutrients, richness, color, help form structure
When beaten, add air
To reduce fat and cholesterol, use 2 egg whites or ¼ cup liquid egg substitute for one whole egg

20. Sweeteners Sugar – most common
Helps make products tender, adds sweetness and flavor, help brown crust
Granulated and brown – common sweeteners; could also use honey, molasses, corn syrup, powdered sugar; some sugar substitutes are okay; others are not

21. Store most in tightly covered containers in cool place; some should be stored in refrigerator after opening – follow label instructions

22. Flavorings Fruits, vegetables, nuts – add flavor, texture, nutrients
Herbs, spices, extracts in small amounts add flavor
Sweet spices – cinnamon and nutmeg 0 enhance the flavor enough to cut back slightly on sugar

23. Extracts – flavorings in liquid form
Most common – vanilla and almond
Store herbs, spices, and extracts in tightly, closed containers in cool, dry place

24. Combining the Ingredients
Success depends not only on ingredients, but the order in which they are combined
Changes take place affecting the texture of the finished product during mixing process

25. Role of Gluten
When flour and liquid mix, gluten is developed, becoming strong and elastic, forming network of tiny air cells
Air, steam, and gas produced by leavening agents trapped in cells
When heated, trapped gases expand and product rises

26. The longer the mixing time, the greater the gluten is developed

27. Batters and Doughs
Amount of liquid in comparison to flour determines batter or dough and affects how you should handle mixture
Batters have more liquid than doughs
4 kinds of batters and doughs: pour batter, drop batter, soft dough, and stiff dough

28. Pour batter Thin enough to pour in steady stream
Cakes, waffles, pancakes

29. Drop Batter
Thick, usually spooned into pans
Quick breads, cookies

30. Soft Dough Soft and sticky, but can be touched and handled
Rolled biscuits, yeast breads, some cookies

31. Stiff Dough Firm to the touch, easy to work with and cut
Piecrust, some cookies

32. Methods of Mixing Several basic methods for combining ingredients
Unless recipe states otherwise, all ingredients should be at room temperature; 30 minutes long enough

33. Kneading
Work dough with hands to thoroughly mix ingredients and develop gluten
4 step process:
Turn dough out on lightly floured surface
Using heel of hands, push down on edge of dough nearest you

34. Fold dough in half toward you and give a quarter turn
Continue pushing, folding, and turning for the time directed by the recipe

35. Preparing to Bake Pans chosen affect results of baking
Use size and type of pan instructed
If pan too big or too small, final product will not bake properly
If you use glass, lower temperature by 25oF
Dark pans retain more heat than light ones

36. If using dark pans, reduce temperature of oven 10oF
Most recipes are for light-colored metal pans
Glass or special microwave bakeware safe for use in the microwave oven

37. Pan Preparation
Must be prepared properly for baked good to be easily removed from pan
Prepare pan before mixing ingredients
Read recipe carefully

38. Methods for Pan Preparation
Grease and flour – lightly grease pan with fat and dust with flour
Spray with vegetable oil cooking spray – easiest method; may not work for all products

39. Line pan with paper – cut parchment paper the shape of the pan bottom
Grease the pan; line the bottom of pan with paper (rich cakes – fruitcakes)
Some products require no added grease – product will not rise if pan is greased

40. Conventional & Microwave Baking
Most batters and doughs baked – dry heat produces required changes – product browns, develops a crispy crust
Microwave produces a moist product with no browning or crust development – steamed texture and very tender and moist

41. Unless otherwise instructed, preheat conventional oven, making sure racks are in proper place
Checked baked product about 5 minutes before baking time complete
Only certain cakes, quick breads, and cookies can be microwaved successfully

42. Removing Baked Products from Pans
Some products need to be removed immediately; others cool a few minutes, then removed; others remain in pan until completely cool
Use cooling racks so products cool quicker and stay crisp

43. Storing Baked Goods Perishable baked products need refrigeration
Some baked products stale in the refrigerator, so store at room temperature if eaten within 3 days
To store longer, freeze in airtight freezer containers