Breads and BakingScience Quick Breads Yeast Breads Key

Breads and Baking/Science Quick Breads Yeast Breads

Key Terms

1. Gluten • Elastic substance formed by the protein in flour; forms the structure of the products.

• This scanning electron microscopic view of dough rising shows gluten strands forming two ways, diagonally down and across the photograph. Starch and yeast granules can be seen randomly amongst the gluten. The smallest granules are yeast.

2. Leavening agent CO 2 • Ingredients that make products rise; cause air or gas to be trapped in the mixture. Without these agents, products would be flat with a dense texture. O 2

3. Baking soda • Chemical leaving agent that forms carbon dioxide gas when combined with an acid such as buttermilk, yogurt or citrus juice. Baking soda acid

4. Baking powder • Chemical leaving agent which is a combination of baking soda and a dry acid. It forms carbon dioxide when mixed with any liquid. Soda + Acid

5. Yeast • Microscopic fungi that gives off gas as it grows. The fungi reproduces quickly with warmth, sugar and moisture.

FYI: Yeast are unicellular fungi. • One of the more well known characteristics is the ability to ferment sugars for the production of ethanol. • Budding yeast are true fungi of the • Domain Eukaryotic, • Kingdom Fungi • Phylum Ascomycetes, • Class Saccharomycetes, • Order Saccharomycetales Family: Saccharomycetaceae • Genus: Saccharomyces • Species: cerevisiae

6. Dough • Thick enough to be shaped by hand to make biscuits, cookies, pie crusts and some breads.

7. Batter • Thin enough to be poured or dropped from a spoon to make pancakes, muffins and cakes.

8. Self-rising flour • Has leavening and salt added; used when called for in the recipe.

9. Muffin method • Dry ingredients are mixed together in a bowl, then liquids are combined and added to the dry ingredients - making a lumpy, not smooth batter; used for muffins, pancakes, waffles, cornbread and loaves like banana bread.

10. Biscuit method • Dry ingredients are sifted together in mixing bowl, shortening is cut-in, add milk and mix with a fork; knead, roll and cut.

11. Knead • Folding & pressing which helps form gluten, making the dough stretchy.

Key Concepts: Breads and Baking The Principles of Baking

To answer these questions, you must understand the chemistry of baking! • Why does bread have a different texture from a cake? • Is baking powder the same as baking soda? • Why did my muffins stick to the pan? • Why did my cornbread not rise when I used milk instead of buttermilk?

The Chemistry of Baking • A recipe for a baked product is like a chemical formula. • In fact, chemical reactions that take place during mixing and baking give the product its final appearance, texture and flavor.

What do the ingredients do for a baked product such as breads, cakes and cookies?

1. Flour • Provides proteins and starch that make up the structure of the baked products.

2. Liquids • help flour form the structure of the baked product. • They also make possible many of the chemical changes that take place in the mixture. • Water, milk, fruit or vegetable juice, yogurt and sour cream are some of the liquids used in baked products.

3. Leavening agents • baking powder, baking soda, steam or yeast make products rise by causing air or gas to be trapped in the mixture. Popovers are leavened with steam.

4. Fats and oils • Make products rich and tender. • They also add flavor and help to brown the crust.

5. Sweeteners • granulated sugar, honey, brown sugar, corn syrup and others give flavor and also help the crust to brown.

6. Eggs • Make baked products tender, add flavor, richness and can help bind mixture together so they do not separate. • Beaten egg whites may be used as a leavening agent.

7. Flavorings • include chocolate, spices, herbs and extracts such as vanilla and almond.

How do leavening agents work?

1. Trapping air • – air is trapped in a mixture when you sift flour, cream fat and sugar together or beat egg whites.

2. Steam • – the product must be baked at a high temperature which causes the water in the mixture to turn to steam and rise • (éclairs, cream puffs, popovers)

3. Chemical leavening agents • Baking soda forms carbon dioxide gas when combined with an acid: buttermilk, yogurt or citrus juice. • Baking powder is a combination of baking soda and a dry acid. It forms carbon dioxide with any liquid.

4. Yeast • a microscopic fungi reproduces with warmth, sugar and moisture. It gives baked products a distinctive flavor. (pizza dough, rolls, French bread, etc)

How do leavening agents work with gluten? • The gluten strengthens to form an elastic mesh. • The air or CO 2 gas forms tiny cells or pockets within the mesh. • When the batter or dough is baked, heat causes the air or gas to expand it stretches the gluten (product rises).

Successful Baking depends upon • • 1. Using the exact ingredients called for. 2. Measuring accurately. 3. Using the correct type and size of pan. 4. Following the mixing directions from the recipe without shortcuts. • 5. Using the correct oven temperature. (Preheating!)

6. Placing pans correctly in the oven. • One pan is placed in the center of the oven.

• Two pans are placed on a separate rack toward the corners diagonally opposite of each other.

• Three pans: Place 2 pans on one rack in diagonally opposite corners. Place the 3 rd pan on another rack in a different corner.

• Four pans: Place 2 pans on one rack in diagonally opposite corners. Place the other 2 pans on another rack in the other diagonal corners.

Baking Breads • There are two types: yeast breads and quick breads. • Yeast breads use yeast to make the bread rise and take hours to prepare. Whole wheat and rye loaves, for example, are yeast breads. • Quick breads use baking powder or baking soda. They are called quick breads because they take only minutes to prepare.

Many types of flour are available, such as; • All-purpose – enriched white flour made from wheat.

• Whole wheat flour – made from the entire wheat kernel.

• Self-rising flour – has leavening and salt added. • Use the type of flour called for in the recipe.

• Store in a cool, dry place. • After opening, place the flour in a tightly covered container.

Many types of sweeteners are used in baking, such as; • Granulated sugar is white table sugar.

• Brown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added. Dark brown sugar has a stronger flavor than light brown.

• Powdered, or confectioner’s, sugar has a fine texture.

• Honey is a liquid sweetener with a distinct flavor. Use only when the recipe calls for it.

• Artificial sweeteners can be used only in recipes that have been specifically developed for them.

• Store in a cool, dry place.

There are leavening agents for quick breads and yeast breads. • Quick breads call for either baking powder or baking soda. • Check packages for a “use by” date. After that date, the products will not give good results. • Store in a cool, dry place. Baking powder must always be kept dry, so cover it tightly.

• The most common type of yeast is called active dry yeast. • It is sold in a package and does not need refrigeration. • You can buy regular or quick acting. • Use yeast by the date on the package.

The most common fats and oils used in baking are • • • butter margarine vegetable oil lard shortening

• Each one gives a slightly different flavor and texture. • Lard is highest in saturated fat, while vegetable oil is lowest. • Solid fats and liquid fats can’t be used in place of one another in baking. The results will not be the same.

• Butter, margarine and lard should be stored in the refrigerator. • Shortening should be stored in a cool, dry place. • Vegetable oils will stay usable longer if stored in the refrigerator, after opening. • Olive oil, however, isn’t treated and is often stored in a cool, dry place.

Baking Skills • The leavening agent is not the only difference between quick and yeast breads. The preparation method also differs. • Before baking, yeast bread dough is set aside in a warm place for at least an hour. This gives the yeast time to grow, which makes the dough rise. • Quick breads, however, are baked as soon as they are mixed. The mixing method varies, too.

Most quick breads are mixed in one of 3 ways. • 1. Muffin method • 2. Biscuit method • 3. Cake method

The Muffin Method: muffins, popovers, pancakes, waffles & cornbread. • 1. Combine the dry ingredients. • 2. Combine the liquid ingredients and the egg(s). • 3. Melt the fat and add to the liquid ingredients. • 4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with a minimum of stirring.

• Excessive stirring will cause the overdevelopment of gluten. • This would result in smaller, less tender muffins with tunnels and a peaked crust.

The Biscuit Method: biscuits & dumplings. • 1. Combine the dry ingredients. • 2. Combine the liquid ingredients and the egg(s). • 3. Cut-in the fat and flour mixture until the mixture has a coarse texture. • 4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Be careful not to over mix. Once a ball of dough forms, it can be kneaded briefly.

• Cutting-in the fat will cause layers to form through the dough. • These layers are what make a biscuit flaky. • Over handling the dough will result in biscuits that are less tender and flaky.

The Cake Method: fruit & nut loaves, coffee cakes. • 1. Cream the fat and sugar together. • 2. Beat the egg(s); add to fat and sugar mixture and beat well. • 3. Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. After each addition, stir to combine the ingredients then beat briefly. • 4. Fold in any flavorings, fruits, and nuts.

• Creaming the fat with the sugar and then with the eggs incorporates a lot of air which will help to leaven the baked product. • While overbeating is still a possibility, the greater amount of fat in recipes using the cake method lessens the risk of producing a tough product.

Making Yeast Breads • 1. Dry yeast is added to warm water. When the mixture bubbles, it is ready.

• 2. Add the other ingredients and knead the dough for a few minutes. Kneading helps form gluten, making the dough stretchy.

• 3. Dough is covered with a cloth and set in a warm place to rise. It will double in size as the gas bubbles form and grow.

• 4. Dough is punched down, then shaped into rolls or loaves.

• 5. Rolls or loaves are allowed to rise again doubling in size. • 6. Baking will firm the gluten and set the shape of the loaf. The gas bubbles made by yeast will escape, leaving tiny holes in the bread. The crust turns brown.

How To Make Yeast Bread Video • http: //www. vitalrecipe. com/view/89 a 7 zemj 3/how-to-make-yeast-bread/