Why Learn to Bake?

Prepared by:Sharon Davis

Family & Consumer Sciences EducationKansas Wheat Commission www.kswheat.com

No Food Skills = Fewer Resources

• Expand culinary skills, employability

• Working parents need food prep partners to make meals and celebrations at home happen

• Communities are richer from having local bakers

Baking is… Science

• Ingredient knowledge is powerFlour is Just Flour…NOTwater, milk, sugars, fats, salt

• Leavening—chemical, air, yeast, egg• Temperature effects

liquids, dough, baking, staling• Techniques and Timing• Substitution Success• Problem solving

More at www.ksu.edu/grainscience

Baking is… Hands On History

• Wheat, corn, oats, rye, soy history• 5,000 years of world bread history

personal, family bread traditionsKansas kolaches, houska, poviticaU.S.—hoe cakes,“thirds bread” sourdough

• Bread Events Famine/bread warsShrove Tuesday Pancake Race (right)Kansas Festival of Breads, www.kswheat.comPillsbury Bake-OffBread Bakers Guild of AmericaCoupe de Monde, Paris, www.bbga.org

Baking is… Math

• Determine temperatures for liquids, batters, doneness of products, storage

• Weigh and measure ingredients, dough, batter

• Calculate yield, net weight, nutrition facts label

• Product cost/price point• Time use• Consumer product acceptance surveys

Baking is… Art • Artisan shapes• Effective ads/labels• Adding value• Food styling• Egg wash, decorating• Connect with baking

pros and spokespersons at www.kswheat.com

BAKING INGREDIENTSFlourFats

SugarsEggs

LiquidsLeavening agents

Chocolate & flavoringsSalt

FloursWhite wheat flour1. Contains 7% to 15% gluten

(protein)2. High gluten flour (strong flour)

makes chewy products3. Low gluten flour (weak flour)

makes tender products4. Gluten is developed by mixing a

dough – the more a dough is mixed the more gluten will develop and the product will be firmer and chewier.

Flours

Whole Wheat flour1. The entire kernel of wheat is

ground, including the bran (outer covering) and the germ

2. The ground bran has sharp edges and cuts gluten strands. The germ contains oil which also shortens the gluten strands. This is why whole wheat products cannot be as firm or chewy as white flour products.

Flours

Rye flour1. Does not contain gluten and so

cannot make a crisp or chewy product. Usually some wheat flour must be added.

Fats Fats coat the strands of gluten and

prevent them from holding together, thus fats shorten the strands and help create a tender product.

Solid fats are called shortening. Fats tenderize baked goods, create

moisture and richness, add flavor and increase keeping qualities.

In some cases they act as a leavening agent…

Shortening1. Usually vegetable based, although

butter or lard may be used.2. Regular shortenings have a tough, waxy

texture and hold together in particles within a dough or batter.

3. Emulsified shortenings are soft and spread easily and are used to make cake batters. They are used when there is more sugar than flour in a formula and are sometimes called high ratio shortenings.

4. Puff pastry shortening is very firm and is used for making rolled-in doughs when it is important that the fat stay in distinct layers between the layers of dough.

Oils Little used in baking except in some muffins & cakes.

Lard Used less and less today, however it is excellent for pastry.

Butter1. The best flavor for most baked

goods.2. Melts at a low temperature so it

“melts in your mouth”, unlike some fats. Its low melting point can make it hard to work with.

Sugars

Sugars create sweetness Sugars also create tenderness because

they weaken gluten They add color to the crust when they

bake Sugars improve keeping qualities

because sugar is hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs water.

Sugars act as a creaming agent with fats…

…SugarsRefined sugar1. Granulated sugar is the most commonly used.2. Very fine sugars are used in cakes and cookies.3. Coarse sugars are called sanding sugars, for

topping baked goods4. Icing sugar is very fine and is used in icings or

for dusting finished products.

Molasses and brown sugar3. Molasses is concentrated sugar cane syrup with

the sugar removed.4. Brown sugar is simple white sugar with some of

the molasses left in. You can make it by mixing molasses with sugar.

…Sugars

Corn syrup A liquid sweetener containing natural sugars

called fructose.

HoneyA natural sweetener containing fructose and glucose.

LiquidsLiquids are essential in the baking

process because gluten cannot develop without the presence of

some liquid

WaterThe basic liquid used in baking

LiquidsMilk and cream1. Add texture, flavor, nutritional

value and color to baked goods2. Whole milk and cream contain fat,

which must be accounted for as part of the shortening in baking formulas

3. Buttermilk is slightly acidic and is often used in quickbreads

4. Cream is more often used in fillings & puddings than in doughs

5. Powdered dry milk is often used because of low cost and convenience

Eggs Available whole, frozen or dried Add structure because the proteins in

eggs coagulate when baked. This is important for baked goods with a high ratio of fat which weakens the gluten structure.

Emulsification of fats-egg yolks help make smooth batters.

Leavening-beaten eggs contain air bubbles which expand when baked.

The fat in egg yolks help shorten gluten strands, making a tender product.

Eggs also add moisture, flavor, nutritional value and color to baked goods.

Leavening agentsLeavening is the production of gases in

baked goods which increases their volume.

For example, bread dough rises when proofed because of the gas CO2.

Leavening agentsYeast1. A microscopic plant2. Yeast ferments, which means it

converts carbohydrates into CO2 and alcohol when it gets warmth and moisture.

Below 6 to 7 degrees C yeast is inactive

At 15 to 20 degrees C yeast grows slowly

20 to 32 C yeast grows best (proofing temperature)

Yeast dies at 60C or 140F Yeast is available as compressed

yeast, which must be refrigerated, or as active dry yeast, which must be dissolved in warm water before use.

…Leavening agentsBaking soda1. A chemical leavener2. When moisture and an acid are

added to baking soda it releases CO23. Baking soda releases CO2 as soon as

moisture and acid are added and thus must be baked immediately after mixing. It needs no proofing, unlike yeastbreads.

…Leavening agents

Baking powder1. Also a chemical leavener2. Baking powder is actually just baking

soda with the acid already added.3. Single-action baking powder releases

CO2 as soon as water is added to it.4. Double-action baking powder

releases CO2 when water is added to it and again when it is heated.

5. Adding too much baking powder or baking soda gives an undesireable taste.

…Leavening agentsBaking ammonia1. A chemical leavener2. Usually used only in large-scale

commercial cookie baking.3. The ammonia evaporates when the

cookies bake.

Air1. Creaming is the process of beating

fats and sugar together to incorporate air into the mixture.

2. Usually used in cake and cookie baking.

3. Air beaten into the mixture during creaming may be the only leavening agent.

Steam4. When water is heated and turns to

steam it expands to 1600 times its original volume, thus moisture is an important leavening agent in baking.

5. Pie crusts, cream puffs and puff pastry are all leavened by the action of water flashing to steam when heated.

Chocolate and Cocoa Chocolate and cocoa are made from cocoa or

cacao beans The beans are roasted and ground to make a

paste called chocolate liquor The fat content of this is called cocoa butter Cocoa is the dry powder left after cocoa

butter is separated from chocolate liquor Unsweetened chocolate (bitter chocolate) is

just hardened chocolate liquor. Popular in Europe.

Sweet chocolate is bitter chocolate with sugar added

Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate with milk solids added. Popular in North America.

White chocolate is cocoa butter with milk solids and sugar added. It can be dyed with food coloring.

Salt

Salt strengthens gluten and makes it more stretchable in bread doughs

Salt helps control yeast growth in doughs because it acts against the yeast

Salt enhances the flavor of most foods, even sweet foods because it turbocharges your taste buds

Spices

Spices add flavor and interest to baked goods

The most commonly used are cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves and ginger

Most spices are made from the bark, nuts, seeds or roots of tropical plants

Indonesia was originally known as “The Spice Islands” and European countries fought wars for control of them

Extracts and emulsions Extracts are oils dissolved in alcohol

1. Vanilla extract is a common example2. Vanilla beans are processed to extract the oils

from them and this is dissolved in alcohol. True vanilla extract and vanilla beans are quite expensive, partly because of the current popularity of novelty items such as vanilla flavored soft drinks and vanilla scented cosmetics and soaps

Emulsions are oils mixed with water1. Lemon and orange emulsions are the most

common2. Lemon or orange oil is extracted from the

skin, where most of the flavor is and mixed with water. You can zest or grate lemon or orange skins yourself to add to baked goods for the same flavor

Review

Most baked goods are made from only a very few ingredients.

A good understanding of ingredients is necessary so you can produce the type of baked

goods you want

…Flour Flour forms the basis of most baked

goods Wheat flour contains proteins called

gluten A strong flour contains a high

percentage of gluten and will make crisp, chewy products like baguettes or bagels

A weak flour contains less gluten and will make tender products, like cakes or pastry

Whole wheat flour includes the bran and the germ. It is weaker than white flour

Rye flour contains no gluten and will not form a strong structure unless some white wheat flour is added

…Fats Fats coat the strands of gluten and

prevent them from holding together, thus fats shorten the strands and help create a tender product.

Solid fats are called shortening. Fats tenderize baked goods, create

moisture and richness, add flavor and increase keeping qualities.

In some cases they act as a leavening agent

Fats include vegetable shortening, butter and lard

…Sugars Sugars create sweetness Sugars also create tenderness because

they weaken gluten structure They add color to the crust when they

bake Sugars improve keeping qualities

because sugar is hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs water.

Sugars include white granulated sugar, icing sugar, brown sugars, corn syrup and honey

…Liquids

Liquids are essential in the baking process because gluten cannot develop without some liquid

Water is the basic liquid used in baking Milk or cream may be used for flavor,

to develop color or to add nutritional value

Buttermilk is slightly acidic and is often used in quickbreads

Cream is most often used in custards and fillings

…Eggs

Eggs add structure because they contain proteins

Eggs contain fats and make a product tender because they shorten gluten strands

Eggs add flavor and nutritional value Beaten eggs contain air bubbles which

expand when baked and thus leaven some baked goods

…Leavening agents Leavening is the production of gases in

baked goods which increases volume Yeast is a microscopic plant which

produces CO2 when it gets warmth and moisture

Baking soda also produces CO2 when moisture and an acid are added to it

Baking powder produces CO2 when it gets warmth and moisture

Water in baked goods leavens because it expands to 1600 times its original volume when it flashes to steam

Yeast, baking powder, baking soda and water all leaven baked goods and increase their volume

…Chocolate and cocoa Chocolate is made from roasted cocoa

or cacao beans. The beans are ground to make chocolate liquour.

Hardened chocolate liquour is just bitter chocolate

The addition of sugar makes it into sweet chocolate and milk solids make it into milk chocolate

Chocolate liquor can be separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter. Cocoa butter becomes white chocolate with the addition of sugar and milk solids

…SaltSalt strengthens gluten and weakens yeast

growth. Most importantly it turbocharges your taste buds to bring

out flavors…Spices

Spices such as nutmeg, cloves, ginger, mace and cinnamon add flavor and

interest…Extracts and emulsions Extracts are flavorful oils, such as vanilla,

dissolved in alcohol Emulsions are oils like lemon or orange oil

mixed with water