Baking!

Ingredients and TechniquesCakes, Cookies, and Pies

Quick BreadsYeast Breads and Rolls

Basic Ingredients

• Flour

• Liquid

• Leavening agents

• Fat

• Sweeteners

• Eggs

• Flavoring

Flour

• Protein and starch in the flour give structure

• Gluten- a protein that affects the texture and helps determine how the product will rise– Gluten develops when flour is moistened and

mixed, and hold the leavening agents– Starch helps absorb some of the liquid that is

added in most recipes

Types of Flour

• All-purpose flour- the most popular, good results for most products

• Bread flour- highest gluten content and give bread a strong structure

• Cake flour- contains less gluten and gives cakes a tender structure

• Whole-grain flour- weaker gluten than all-purpose flour, some have no gluten at all– Products rise less and have a heavy texture– Usually combined with all-purpose flour in equal

proportions– Flour is stirred, not sifted

Liquid

• Water and milk are the most common– Eggs and fat too

• Hydrate the protein and starch to form the gluten• Moistens and dissolves ingredients• Leavening agent when converted to steam• Milk adds flavor and nutrients, helps brown

better• Buttermilk gives a slight tangy flavor, affects the

kind of leavening agent needed

Leavening Agents

• Leavening agent- substance that produces gas in batters and doughs to make baked products rise and become light

• Three leavening gases are air, steam, and carbon dioxide

• Beating eggs, creaming fat and sugar together, folding doughs, and beating batters incorporates air

Types of Leavening Agents

• Air: Is trapped when creaming fat and sugar, sifting flour, adding beaten egg whites– When the mixture is heated, the air expands

and the product rises

• Steam: leavens products that contain high amounts of water– Water heats as the product bakes and turns

to steam and causes the product to rise

Types of Leavening Agents cont

• Yeast: produces carbon dioxide as it grows– Needs food (flour and sugar), liquid, and

warm temperature– Active dry yeast and quick-rising dry yeast

come packaged in dry granules • Quick rising leavens dough in half amount of time

– Can be stored at room temperature and use before expiration date

Leavening Agents cont

• Baking Soda: when mixed with flour and heated releases carbon dioxide– Can produce an off flavor and color, so it is usually

combined with an acidic ingredient

• Baking Powder: contain a dry acid, baking soda, and starch or flour– Double acting baking powder- release some carbon

dioxide when moistened, and the rest when heated– Too much baking powder can cause a product to

collapse

Fat

• Adds richness, flavor, and tenderness• Usually cannot be eliminated, but can be

substituted or reduced– Applesauce or pureed dry fruits

• Solid and liquid fats are not easily substituted with each other– Cannot use soft, liquid, or whipped margarine

because they contain air, water, or oil and can affect the outcome

Eggs

• Add flavor, richness, nutrients, and color

• Help form structure

• Add air when beaten

• Can use substitutes such as just egg whites or liquid substitutes

Sweeteners and Flavorings

• Sugar adds sweetness and flavor, helps crust brown

• Fruits, vegetables, and nuts add flavor, texture, and nutrients– Herbs, spices, and extracts in small amounts

Batters and Doughs• Amount of liquid in relation to flour

determines batter or dough

• Pour batters: steady stream– Cakes, pancakes, waffles

• Drop batters: thick, spooned in pans– Quick breads and cookies

• Soft doughs: sticky– Biscuits, breads, cookies

• Stiff doughs: firm– Piecrust and cookies

Successful Baking of a Cake

Measuring Ingredients

• Correct amount of flour gives the correct amount of gluten needed for structure

• Correct amounts of fat and sugar tenderize the gluten– Too much weakens the cake

• Correct amount of liquid provides moisture for the gluten to form

• Correct number of eggs gives proteins that strengthen the gluten

Mixing Cakes

• Mix the correct proportions of ingredients with the correct mixing method

• Over mixing will cause the gluten to overdevelop, it will be tough

• 2 types of mixing methods:– Conventional– Quick mix

Conventional Mixing Method

• Cream fat and sugar together until light and fluffy

• Beat eggs into creamed fat and sugar

• Add dry ingredients alternately with liquid ingredients

• Dry ingredients are usually sifted together in a separate bowl

Quick Mix Method

• Measure dry ingredients into mixing bowl

• Beat the fat and part of the liquid with the dry ingredients

• Add remaining liquid and unbeaten eggs last

Baking Cakes

• Choose the appropriate size pan• The cake will have a gently rounded top if

using the correct size pan• Grease and flour the pans, bottom and

sides• Place in preheated oven and bake just

until done• Insert a toothpick in the center and it will

come out clean when done

Quick Breads

• Can be high in fat

• Great source of:– Carbohydrates– Protein– B vitamins– Iron

• Use whole grains:– Add fiber and minerals

• Fruit, vegetable, nuts add nutrition

Muffin Method

• Sift or mix all dry ingredients together– Make a well in the center

• Beat all liquid ingredients until well blended

• Pour liquid into the well

• Mix enough to moisten

• Some flour spots will remain and batter will be lumpy

• Fold in other ingredients

Overmixed Muffins

• Peaks on top

• Tough and heavy

• Long, narrow tunnels on inside

Preparing and Baking Muffins

• Grease pan or use paper cups

• Fill 2/3 full

• Test for doneness 5 minutes before end of cooking time– Insert toothpick; should come out clean– Nicely browned

Loaf Breads

• Mixed using the muffin method

• Cooked in greased loaf pan with parchment paper on the bottom for easy removal

• Check for doneness same as muffins

• Top of bread may crack

Types of Cookies

• Rolled- requires a stiff dough– Cookie cutters are used– Example: sugar cookies

• Dropped- soft dough– Drop or push off from spoon– Spread more when cooked than rolled

cookies, place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet

– Example: chocolate chip cookies

continued

• Bar- soft dough– Spread in square pan– Can be chewy or cake like depending on

thickness– Example: brownies

• Refrigerator- high proportion of fat– Form dough into long roll, cover with foil or

plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm– Cut in thin slices once firm– Example: pinwheels

continued

• Pressed- rich, stiff dough– Pack into cookie press– Press out onto cookie sheet and bake– Example: spritz cookies

• Molded- stiff dough– Break off small pieces of dough and shape

with fingers– Examples: crescents and small balls

Cookie Ingredients

• Flour, sugar, liquid, fat, salt, egg, and leavening agents

• Have more fat and sugar and less liquid than cakes

Mixing Methods

• Conventional mixing method– Cream fat and sugar, then add eggs, then

flour

• Cookies should be crisp and chewy, rather than light and fluffy

Pans to Use

• Flat baking pan or cookie sheet– Should not have high sides

• Bright shiny cookie sheets will give a light, delicate brown crust

• Dark cookie sheets will give dark bottoms

• May have to rotate pans during cooking to cook evenly is baking more than 1 pan

Storage

• Store crisp cookies in a container with a loose lid

• Store soft cookies in a container with an air tight lid