ALL ABOUT LEAVENING | baking soda, baking powder, yeast, and steam

Summary

In this baking fundamentals lesson, the instructor delves into the concept of leavening, crucial for making baked goods rise and remain tender. The three types of leavening are explored: chemical (baking soda and powder), biological (yeast), and physical (air and steam). The lesson highlights how these methods create carbon dioxide gas, leading to the rise of baked goods. The homework assignment challenges students to make choux pastry, exemplifying the power of steam as a leavening agent.

Takeaways

• 🍞 Leavening is crucial for making baked goods rise, spread out, and remain tender and fluffy.
• 🧪 Chemical leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder create carbon dioxide gas through a chemical reaction.
• 🍋 Baking soda requires an acidic ingredient to react with, such as brown sugar, chocolate, buttermilk, molasses, or lemon juice.
• 📦 Baking powder already contains an acidic ingredient, making it versatile for any recipe.
• ⏱️ Chemical leavening agents work quickly and require immediate baking after being added to dough or batter.
• 🌿 Biological leavening involves yeast, a living organism that feeds on sugars and starches, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol.
• 🕒 Yeast fermentation is a slow process that requires a structured and elastic dough to hold the gas produced.
• 💨 Physical leavening uses air and steam to create volume in baked goods, such as when creaming butter and sugar or whipping egg whites.
• 💦 Steam leavening occurs when water in ingredients like milk, butter, and eggs evaporates, significantly increasing volume.
• 🥧 Choux pastry is an excellent example of steam's leavening power, as it rises significantly from the water evaporating during baking.
• 📝 The homework assignment is to make choux pastry, which can be used to create a variety of baked goods and demonstrates the importance of steam in leavening.

Q & A

What is leavening in baking?

Leavening refers to the gases that are trapped inside baked goods as they are baked, which makes them rise, spread out, and also keeps them tender and fluffy.

What are the three categories of leavening used in baking?

The three categories of leavening used in baking are chemical leavening, biological leavening, and physical leavening.

How do chemical leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder work?

Chemical leavening agents work by creating a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas when added to doughs and batters, which then gets trapped and causes the baked goods to rise.

What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

Baking soda is alkaline and needs an acidic ingredient to react with, while baking powder already contains an acidic ingredient and can be used in any recipe without additional acidic components.

What are some common acidic ingredients used in baking?

Common acidic ingredients used in baking include brown sugar, chocolate, buttermilk, molasses, and lemon juice.

How does yeast, a biological leavening agent, function in baking?

Yeast is a living organism that feeds on sugars and starches in the dough, producing carbon dioxide gas and alcohol through a process called fermentation, which makes the dough rise.

What is the difference between how yeast and chemical leavening agents produce gas?

Yeast produces gas slowly over a long period, requiring a structured and elastic dough to contain it, whereas chemical leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder work quickly and need to be baked soon after being added to a dough or batter.

What is physical leavening and how does it work?

Physical leavening occurs from air and steam. Air is trapped in baked goods through processes like creaming butter and sugar, and beating egg whites or cream. Steam is created when water in ingredients like milk, butter, and eggs evaporates in the oven, increasing in volume and causing the baked goods to rise.

Why is kneading important for yeast dough?

Kneading is important for yeast dough because it helps create a strong and elastic gluten structure that can contain the gases produced by the yeast during fermentation.

What is an example of physical leavening using steam?

An example of physical leavening using steam is puff pastry, where layers of dough and butter cause water to evaporate, creating volume and a puffed texture when baked.

What is the homework assignment mentioned in the script?

The homework assignment is to try making choux pastry, which is a great example of how powerful steam can be as a leavening agent in baking.