Quick Breads Chapter 10 (pg. 215-231)

Quick Bread Basics Quick breads are quick to make. Leavened by chemical leaveners and steam. Little gluten development is required. Mixing takes a short time.

Quick Bread Dough Mixtures Soft doughs: has 1/3 as much liquid as flour (1part liquid to 3 parts flour) Examples: biscuits, doughnuts, scones Batters: Pour batters: equal amounts of flour to liquid (1:1) Examples: waffles, pancakes and popovers Drop Batters: twice as much flour as liquid (1:2) Examples: muffins, nut breads, coffee cakes

Ingredients and Functions Flour Forms structure when gluten develops from water and flour mixture Gluten traps air so bread can increase in volume Salt Improves flavor Leavening agents Enable breads to release carbon dioxide Chemical Leavening Agents Baking Powder Double acting, reacts with heat and liquid Made of soda, acid and fillers Baking Soda Must use with an acidic ingredient Milk Contributes flavor and browning Fat Tenderness Egg Adds color and richness

Gluten Development Only slight gluten development is desired in quick breads. Tenderness is a desirable quality rather than the chewiness of yeast breads. Tunneling is a result of over mixing muffin batter. It creates large, elongated holes and toughness inside the muffins.

Gluten Development To make quick breads, there are three mixing methods: Biscuit method: used for biscuits, scones. Muffin method: used for muffins, pancakes. Creaming method: used for muffins, loaf breads, and coffee cakes.

Biscuit Method Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl Cut in the shortening. Combine the liquid ingredients in another bowl Add the liquid to the dry ingredients by making a well. Knead dough lightly. (8-10 times) Roll out dough and cut into desired shape Bake on greased or parchment lined baking pan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq4IxsLke4k

Muffin Method Sift together the dry ingredients in a bowl Combine the liquid ingredients in another bowl Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and mix just until all the flour is moistened. Grease or spray loaf pans or muffin tins or use paper liners Take care not to over-stir the mix as you portion it. Bake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D0MFC0NmEU

Creaming Method Combine the fat, sugar, salt, and spices in the bowl of a mixer Cream until light and fluffy Add eggs in two or three stages Stir together the dry ingredients in separate bowl Stir together the liquid ingredients in separate bowl Add the dry and liquid ingredients alternately into the creamed mixture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO8l8f2Li9o

Popovers

Popovers Puffy bread product that looks like an over-sized muffin, with very thin, moist walls, somewhat hollow interior and a crispy brown crust. The name of this quick-bread is derived from its behavior as it expands to such a degree that it "pops over" the sides of its container. Made from the thinnest of all quick-bread batters with a liquid to flour ratio of 1:1. They are leavened by eggs and steam in a batter of flour, milk and salt. Mixed by the Muffin Method, followed by beating to make it smooth and free of lumps, giving popovers their characteristic chewy texture. Popovers can be plain or flavored with herbs, spices, or cheese.

Making Popovers Batter is poured into the cavities of a preheated special popover pan, meant to be twice the depth as those used to make muffins, and placed in a very hot oven (about 450 degrees F), where it quickly puffs up. The oven temperature is quickly lowered to around 375 to 350 degrees F, where the proteins coagulate, its structure sets and the final browning takes place. Egg proteins and starch from the flour provide structural strength. While fat from the eggs yolks(and, sometimes added butter), helps to make the popovers tender. NEVER open the oven door during baking. The rush of cool air will cause them to collapse.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej0SY-B9agY

Characteristics of Popovers Good volume Shell golden & crisp Moist, Hollow Interior Alton Brown: Popover Sometime