1. The Science of Baking…

2. Chemical Reactions A recipe is like a chemical formula.
Chemical reactions during baking give the product its final appearance, texture and flavor.

3. What Ingredients do… Flour:
Provides proteins and starch that make up the structure of baked products.

4. What Ingredients do… Leavening agents:
Make products rise by causing air or gas to be trapped in the mixture.
Without these, products would be flat and dense.
Ex: baking powder, baking soda, yeast, beaten eggs

5. What Ingredients do… Liquids:
Help flour form the structure of the product.
Also make possible many of the chemical changes.
Ex: water, milk, fruit, yogurt

6. What Ingredients do… Fats & Oils:
Make products rich and tender. They also add flavor and help to brown the crust.
Ex: butter, margarine, vegetable oil, lard & shortening.

7. What Ingredients do… Sweeteners: Give flavor Also, help crust to brown
Ex: sugar, honey, powdered (confectioners) sugar, molasses, brown sugar

8. What Ingredients do… Eggs: Make baked products tender.
Add flavor and richness.
Can help bind mixtures together so they don’t separate (dough)
Beaten eggs may be used as a leavening agent.

9. What Ingredients do… Flavorings:
Chocolate, spices, herbs & extracts (vanilla or almond).

10. How Ingredients are Combined…
They are combined or mixed in a specific way depending on type of product.
Proper mixing helps to give desired texture.

11. How Ingredients are Combined…
Mixture is called either dough or batter.
Dough: thick enough to be shaped by hand or cut into shapes.
Ex: biscuits, cookies, pie crust, some breads
Batter: thin enough to be poured or dropped from a spoon.
Ex: pancakes, muffins & cakes.

12. How Leavening Agents Work…
Trapped Air
Air is trapped when you sift, cream fat & sugar together, beat egg whites, or beat batter.

13. How Leavening Agents Work…
Steam:
Product must be baked at a high temperature.
High heat causes water in mixture to turn to steam & causes it to rise.
Ex: cream puffs

14. How Leavening Agents Work…
Chemical Leavening
Baking soda & baking powder
THESE ARE DIFFERENT! Read recipes carefully.

15. How Leavening Agents Work…
Baking Soda: forms CO2 gas when combined with an acid.
Used when using acidic ingredients (buttermilk, yogurt, or citrus).
Baking Powder: Combo of baking soda and a dry acid.
It forms CO2 when liquid is added.

16. How Leavening Agents Work…
Yeast:
A microscopic plant that gives off gas as it grows.
It reproduces quickly if it has warmth, food (sugar) and moisture.
Yeast gives the baked product a distinctive flavor.
Why baked yeast bread smells so good! 

17. How Leavening Agents Work…
Leavening agents work with gluten.
As batter or dough is mixed the gluten strengthens to form an elastic mesh.
When baked the air/gas is released & gluten stretches to let product rise.
As baking continues heat causes proteins and starch to become firm and set.

18. 5 tips to Successful Baking
1. Use the exact ingredients called for.
2. Measure accurately
3. Follow the mixing directions in the recipe
4. Use the correct type & size of pan
5. Use the correct oven temperature