Post by Glen Carman aka Delmonico on Jul 19, 2019 20:48:26 GMT -6
Leavening
Unless we are making unleavened bread will need to use something to produce the CO2 that raises our batter/dough and makes it soft and fluffy. Almost all leavened products use either yeast to produce the CO2 or uses the chemical reaction of an alkaline product and an acid to produce CO2. There are some methods of leavening that use mechanical means such as beaten egg whites as for Angel Food cake or a beer/soda added, but here we'll just cover yeast and chemical.
The amount of leavening agent can vary from recipe to recipe but will pretty much stay in these guidelines.
Yeast
Yeast is the oldest method, there are several ways to grow yeast cultures to use, commercial yeast coming on the market after the Civil War. The first being what was called cake yeast and had a limited shelf life, it had almost disappeared in the small home packages, but has made a resurgence in recent years.
Just before WWII freeze drying of yeast was perfected, this cut the bulk and more important increased shelf life by a very big factor.
The freeze dried yeast is the most common in usage today, it comes in envelopes of 0.25 ounce, jars of 4 ounce and 1 pound sacks.
This yeast comes labeled Active or Regular or Original Dry yeast, this is the original dry yeast. Others are listed as instant, rapid rise or bread machine yeast. These are a little finer and can be added to the dry mix instead of having to add it to the liquid.
Weight wise an envelope of yeast weighs 0.25 ounce, if its regular yeast it has 2¼ teaspoons of yeast in it and if it is one of the finer ones it has 2 teaspoons in it. When using bulk yeast just use 2¼ teaspoons for regular yeast and 2 teaspoons for the others.
This amount of yeast can be used to raise 2-8 cups of flour, with 3-5 cups considered ideal. The times to raise will vary of course, if the recipe uses a lot of sugar one is better a little heavy on the yeast,because the sugar slows the action of the yeast. When using the maximum amount of yeast one can run into problems, sometimes you will get a yeasty taste. More important things can happen fast especially on a warm day, it can escape the bowl or can expand beyond the limit of the gluten and collapse.
Till one is really used to working with yeast it is best to stick as close as possible.
Chemical leavening
Chemical leavening is based on the fact acidic substance and alkaline substance when mixed in a liquid form react and form Carbon dioxide which can be used to leaven bread.
Pearl ash
The first use of this came about in the middle of the 18th century with what was known as pearl ash or salts of tartar, this is Potassium carbonate which was often refined from lye made from wood ashes (Potassium hydroxide). This process had limited popularity and was only in common use for about a 100 years.
It's disadvantages were cost of refinement, it left an off taste to the product and could not be used in any product using a lot of fat because it would actually form soap in the bakery product.
Pearl ash is not used in baking much anymore except in historical recipes calling for it. It is still available from historical suppliers, my only advice if one wants to try it is to follow the recipes calling for it as I have never used it.
Baking soda
Baking soda came out in the 1840's and was often called salertus, Latin for aerated salts. It's chemical name is Sodium bicarbonate.
This was used like the earlier pearl ash with an acid liquid to produce CO2, these liquids can include sour milk or buttermilk, molasses, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, sourdough starter or cream of tartar dissolved in a liquid.
When using baking soda with an acid to leaven a product the rule of thumb is to use ¼-½ teaspoon per cup of acidic liquid, less will leave some of the acidic taste (sour) in the product, more will give a better rise to it.
Baking powder
Baking powder is a mix of a dry acid substance and a dry alkaline substance, mixed with a starch to absorb moisture to prevent the reaction from happening when not desired.
The first baking powders were actually not mixed, cream of tartar (Potassium bitartrate) and Sodium bicarbonate were sold in separate envelopes to be mixed at a ratio of 2 parts Cream of tartar to 1 part Sodium bicarbonate.
By the early 1850's true baking powder was marketed with the same ratio of chemicals with the added 1 part starch to keep the mix from reacting when damp.
This type is known as single acting, the CO2 will all be released in 2-3 minutes at room temperature, one wants to wait about 5 minutes for the CO2 to disperse and then quickly bake. The early baking powders were a bit pricey due to the Cream of tartar having to be imported from France.
In the 1880's cheaper baking powders came on the market using alums (aluminum/sulphur compounds) as the acid. These had the advantage of being double acting, meaning only part of the CO2 is released on mixing, the rest being released by the heat of the baking.
When using baking powder the guidelines are ¾-1¼ teaspoons per cup of flour.
Another very handy item came out in the 1850's, right after baking powder, this being self-rising flour, which is simply flour with baking powder and salt already in it. Use it as All Purpose flour but don't add the salt and baking powder.
Unless we are making unleavened bread will need to use something to produce the CO2 that raises our batter/dough and makes it soft and fluffy. Almost all leavened products use either yeast to produce the CO2 or uses the chemical reaction of an alkaline product and an acid to produce CO2. There are some methods of leavening that use mechanical means such as beaten egg whites as for Angel Food cake or a beer/soda added, but here we'll just cover yeast and chemical.
The amount of leavening agent can vary from recipe to recipe but will pretty much stay in these guidelines.
Yeast
Yeast is the oldest method, there are several ways to grow yeast cultures to use, commercial yeast coming on the market after the Civil War. The first being what was called cake yeast and had a limited shelf life, it had almost disappeared in the small home packages, but has made a resurgence in recent years.
Just before WWII freeze drying of yeast was perfected, this cut the bulk and more important increased shelf life by a very big factor.
The freeze dried yeast is the most common in usage today, it comes in envelopes of 0.25 ounce, jars of 4 ounce and 1 pound sacks.
This yeast comes labeled Active or Regular or Original Dry yeast, this is the original dry yeast. Others are listed as instant, rapid rise or bread machine yeast. These are a little finer and can be added to the dry mix instead of having to add it to the liquid.
Weight wise an envelope of yeast weighs 0.25 ounce, if its regular yeast it has 2¼ teaspoons of yeast in it and if it is one of the finer ones it has 2 teaspoons in it. When using bulk yeast just use 2¼ teaspoons for regular yeast and 2 teaspoons for the others.
This amount of yeast can be used to raise 2-8 cups of flour, with 3-5 cups considered ideal. The times to raise will vary of course, if the recipe uses a lot of sugar one is better a little heavy on the yeast,because the sugar slows the action of the yeast. When using the maximum amount of yeast one can run into problems, sometimes you will get a yeasty taste. More important things can happen fast especially on a warm day, it can escape the bowl or can expand beyond the limit of the gluten and collapse.
Till one is really used to working with yeast it is best to stick as close as possible.
Chemical leavening
Chemical leavening is based on the fact acidic substance and alkaline substance when mixed in a liquid form react and form Carbon dioxide which can be used to leaven bread.
Pearl ash
The first use of this came about in the middle of the 18th century with what was known as pearl ash or salts of tartar, this is Potassium carbonate which was often refined from lye made from wood ashes (Potassium hydroxide). This process had limited popularity and was only in common use for about a 100 years.
It's disadvantages were cost of refinement, it left an off taste to the product and could not be used in any product using a lot of fat because it would actually form soap in the bakery product.
Pearl ash is not used in baking much anymore except in historical recipes calling for it. It is still available from historical suppliers, my only advice if one wants to try it is to follow the recipes calling for it as I have never used it.
Baking soda
Baking soda came out in the 1840's and was often called salertus, Latin for aerated salts. It's chemical name is Sodium bicarbonate.
This was used like the earlier pearl ash with an acid liquid to produce CO2, these liquids can include sour milk or buttermilk, molasses, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, sourdough starter or cream of tartar dissolved in a liquid.
When using baking soda with an acid to leaven a product the rule of thumb is to use ¼-½ teaspoon per cup of acidic liquid, less will leave some of the acidic taste (sour) in the product, more will give a better rise to it.
Baking powder
Baking powder is a mix of a dry acid substance and a dry alkaline substance, mixed with a starch to absorb moisture to prevent the reaction from happening when not desired.
The first baking powders were actually not mixed, cream of tartar (Potassium bitartrate) and Sodium bicarbonate were sold in separate envelopes to be mixed at a ratio of 2 parts Cream of tartar to 1 part Sodium bicarbonate.
By the early 1850's true baking powder was marketed with the same ratio of chemicals with the added 1 part starch to keep the mix from reacting when damp.
This type is known as single acting, the CO2 will all be released in 2-3 minutes at room temperature, one wants to wait about 5 minutes for the CO2 to disperse and then quickly bake. The early baking powders were a bit pricey due to the Cream of tartar having to be imported from France.
In the 1880's cheaper baking powders came on the market using alums (aluminum/sulphur compounds) as the acid. These had the advantage of being double acting, meaning only part of the CO2 is released on mixing, the rest being released by the heat of the baking.
When using baking powder the guidelines are ¾-1¼ teaspoons per cup of flour.
Another very handy item came out in the 1850's, right after baking powder, this being self-rising flour, which is simply flour with baking powder and salt already in it. Use it as All Purpose flour but don't add the salt and baking powder.