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. 2004.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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