Chemistry of Baking High School

Standards S8P1.a.Distinguish between atoms and molecules S8P1. b. Describe the difference between pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures. SPS2. Students will explore the nature of matter, its classifications, and its system for naming types of matter. b. Predict formulas for stable binary ionic compounds based on balance of charges. c. Use IUPAC nomenclature SPS6. Students will investigate the properties of solutions. d. Compare and contrast the components and properties of acids and bases. e. Determine whether common household substances are acidic, basic, or neutral.

After reviewing multiple cooking blogs, there is a problem that surfaces time and time again. Baking from scratch is described as difficult; there is often a high failure rate. You are a successful baker who has been charged with revising and improving the quality of high failure baked goods (baked from scratch) where the failures are caused by leavening issues. One way to understand the causes of these failures is to better understand the chemical and/or physical role each ingredient plays in the recipe. In order to address this problem, you need to investigate and provide information about: which ingredients are “active” the role of these active ingredients what they react with the result of the reaction how they can contribute to the failure of the recipe. PROBLEM

SOLUTION In order to share your knowledge with the culinary world, you will choose an existing recipe that seems to have a high failure rate caused by leavening issues, and test the significance of one or more of the active ingredients to the final baked good. You will write an article for a culinary magazine or blog describing what you have discovered.

OPTIONAL SECONDARY SOLUTION PRESENTATION If your culinary article or blog postings bring you popularity and fame in the “foodie” world, you may need to prepare an instructional presentation for a live audience. This presentation should include: Brief overview of recipe problem (failure) Explanation of how you found the solution to the problem Actual product comparison of the recipe before and after the modifications were made. (taste testing permitted by audience members)

Brownies Cake Cupcakes Cookies Biscuits Irish Soda Bread Yeast Bread Moist Chocolate Crazy Cake (eggless cake by Shirley Cariher) Possible Recipes (no nuts please)

Shirley Cariher – see video on my wiki See Alton Brown video on my wiki

How is the solution presented? In order to share your knowledge with the culinary world, you will choose an existing recipe that seems to have a high failure rate (leavening issues) and test the significance of one or more of the active ingredients to the final baked good. You will write an article for a culinary magazine or blog describing what you have discovered. You must: Create a professional article for a culinary magazine or blog that includes your hypothesis, research, testing procedure, data and follow up analysis of your findings Develop a journal article based on your experiment that can be included in a culinary magazine or blog The article must include: Problem addressed Your hypothesis and useful research Detailed explanation of your testing procedure Written and pictorial results (of your actual baked goods) Clear explanation of your results and the importance of your results (How can this reduce the current failure rate of this recipe?)

What do we know? Make a list of all of those things that you already know about this problem/situation.

What do we need to know? Make a list of all of those things that you need to learn or know in order to adequately solve this problem. Be sure to look at the requirements for the culinary article to assist you with making this list. Research the answers to these questions. We will also have class activities that will help in finding these answers.

Process We will investigate:  Mixtures  Compounds  Chemical reaction types  Nomenclature  Solutions & Acids/Bases