Lesson 3 BAKING INGREDIENTS
Lesson 3 BAKING INGREDIENTS
Lesson 3 BAKING INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS
FLOUR
Flour is the main ingredient among all other ingredients. It is a
powdery product obtained from milled cereals. Flour provides the
structure of baked products and it also contributes to the colour,
texture, and flavour. Other varieties of flour include cassava flour,
rice flour, soya flour, potato flour, mongo flour, and several others.
Wheat flour is the most commonly used type of flour in most
baked products.
Four Kinds of Flour
1. Whole-wheat flour- also called graham or entire-wheat flour. It
contains the compact of wheat kernel in its original proportion.
2. Bread Flour-also known as strong or hard flour; it has 12-14%
gluten content. Bread flour has a coarse texture-gritty, sandy, dry, a
granular. It has a creamy color and does not usually lump when
pressed together. This type of flour is ideal for making breads, rolls,
and other sweet yeast-raised products.
2. All-purpose flour- widely known as general flour or pastry flour; it
contains 10-11% gluten content. It is combination of bread, cakes, and
pastries. For bread making, it requires more kneading to develop
gluten. In cakes, it requires less mixing to control gluten development.
3. Cake flour- also refers to soft flour; it has 7-9% gluten content. It is
ideal for cakes, cookies, and pastries. This flour has a velvety and
smooth texture, is whiter than bread flour and all-purpose flour, and
tends to hold shape when lumped together.
Other Forms of Flour
Baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar should be kept in a tightly
covered container placed in a cool, dry place. Yeast should be refrigerated. Check
the table and date of expiry of leavening agents before use.
Liquid Ingredients
Liquid ingredients include water, milk or cream, and fruit juices.
Liquid ingredients are important in baking for the following reasons:
1. They are integral components in the preparation of batters and doughs.
2. They add flavours as in milk and juices.
3. They contribute to the volume and texture of the product.
4. They promote the growth of leavening agents like yeast in lukewarm water.
Shortening
Shortening is any fat that increases the tenderness of a
baked product by preventing the cohesion of gluten
strands during mixing. The shortening effect of fat in
flour mixture is brought about by the formation of fat
layers which serve to separate the starch and gluten
particles, thus reducing their tendency to adhere to one
other.
Forms of Shortening
1. Butter- is used in dough to improve the taste and flavour of the baked product.
Examples are Magnolia and Anchor.
2. Butter Compounds- it is made by mixing 40% melted fat, and the rest coming
from vegetable oil such as coconut oil, peanut oil, corn oil. It is less expensive
than butter and are used mostly in bread.
3. Margarine- is fat emulsified with cultured milk. It contains about 80% fat and
about 16% water. Local product brands include Dari Crème, Butterfresh,
buttercup. Margarine is widely used in bread, cakes, and cookies.
4. Hydrogenated Fat- is plastic fat or shortening. This is made from deodorized
vegetable oil such as coconut, corn, soybeans. Commonly used in cakes, breads,
piecrust, and pastries.
5. Lard or Hog Fat-it comes from the back or the sides of hogs and it
is solid at room temperature. It has a soft texture, adds more flavour,
and is easy to handle. It is excellent in making bread, crust and biscuits
and makes the product tender, light, and flaky.
6. Vegetable oils- are liquids fats used in cakes and breads. They are
not popular to use as shortening since they do not have good, creamy,
characteristics and do not contribute much to the volume and texture of
the product. They are also difficult to handle and are less efficient in
doughs.
Other Ingredients
Salt- also known as sodium chloride. It is used to bring out the flavour of an
otherwise bland, too sweet, or too sour taste.
Spices or seeds- are used in baking mainly due to the aroma and flavour they
impart to the baked products. Most commonly used spices include: cinnamons in
cinnamon breads; nutmeg; allspice; cloves in fruit cake, ginger in ginger rolls,
sesame seeds in buns with sesame seeds.
Flavorings- flavour extracts are widely used in cakes, cookies, pastries, bread and
pies. They are essentials oils extracted mostly from fruits, leaves, beans, or
imitations of the same.
General Guidelines and Principles in
Baking
1. Be familiar with the kinds of flours and their specific uses. Cake flour is ideal for
cakes, bread flour for practically all breads, and all-purpose flour for cookies and
pastries. While substitution can be made in the absence of one type, it is always best
to use the ideal type.
2. The frequency and the intensity of mixing flour with the other ingredients differ
form each other product. As a general rule, breads need thorough kneading for highly
developed gluten. Cakes need just enough mixing for a well blended batter., while
pastries requires a special technique in mixing such that some amount of gluten is
developed but the dough retains its characteristics of flakiness and tenderness.
3. Ingredients combined in the product react differently at various temperatures.
At higher temperature, sugars become soluble, fats spread faster, and flour
absorbs water rapidly.
4. The rate at which the boiling temperature inside the product is reached
depends on oven temperature, ingredient size, and shapes of baking pans.
5. Baked products that are crisp or brittle require temperature higher than
boiling point,. While those that are soft and spongy, like breads, cakes, or
muffins, do not require above boiling point temperature.
6. When the oven temperature is too high, crust is formed too fast,
limiting its expansion, thus, producing a product that is cracked and
lower temperature is to low, the product usually falls and does no rise
in volume. Good quality product is a result of the right baking
temperate.
7. Top start right, check all ingredients (with prescribed kinds and
amount), baking procedure, tools, and equipment needed. Preheat oven
before working on.
8. Do all preparation activities like measuring, sifting, greasing,
peeling, paring, mashing, chopping,etc. before mixing.
9.Follow carefully the procedures and techniques in correct measurements for dry
and liquid ingredients.
10. Know how to execute properly the different process involved in baking. The
most common process are the following.
Beat –to make the mixture smooth using a hand or electric mixer.
Blend- to combine thoroughly.
Caramelize- to melt sugar to a golden brown sugar.
Cream- to rub one or two ingredients with a wooden spoon or mixer until their light or fluffy.
Cut and fold- combination of two motions: one that cuts vertically through the mixture, then
turning it cover by gliding the rubber scraper across the bottom of the bowl at each turn.
Dredge-to lightly coat or sprinkle with flour, cornmeal, or sugar (e.g., dredge the grease pan
with flour).
Glaze-to coat with syrup that is cooked to the cracked stage.
Knead- to mix the dough with a pressing motion accompanied by
folding and stretching.
Mash- to soften by pressing or mixing.
Preheat-to turn the oven at the required temperature before baking.
Scald- to heat below boiling point in a double broiler
Sift- to pass through a sifter
Stir- to blend ingredients with a circular motion.
Whip- to beat rapidly with a hand or a mixer in order to incorporate
air.
11. Use the right size of baking pan needed for the recipe. Using the correct pan
gives your baked product a good size, good shape, and good contour. Baking
pans with straight sides gives cake a very fine texture. It is advisable to use
aluminium pans as that distribute heat evenly, resulting to a dedicate golden
brown crust.
Summary:
The basic baking ingredients are flour, liquids, sugar, eggs,
leavening agents, and shortening. Additional ingredients are also
used.
Each baking ingredient has its own characteristics and functions
in baking.
Proper storage of baking ingredients will prevent spoilage and
contribute to their keeping quality.
Proper selection and handling of the baking ingredients ensure
good quality baked products.