home baking

ccc 2nd year home ec

advantages

eggs - bind dry ingredients and trap air in mix

fats(butter, margarine, oil) - prevents baked goods from drying out

raising agents (bread soda, yeast etc.) - makes cakes and breads rise

liquids - binds dry ingredients together

sugar - used to sweeten and decorate

flour - usually wheat flour is used, contains gluten

tips

1. measure ingredients accurately

2. makes sure surface and utensils/equipment are clean

3. avoid overhandling

4. don’t open oven door unnecessarily

how to test if bread is done

top + bottom golden; hollow sound when tap the bottom

how to test if sponge cake is done

surface golden brown + springs back when pressed lightly with finger

how to test if cakes are done

insert skewer into cake if it comes out dry + clean the cake is done if it comes out wet and gloopy the cake isn’t done

raising agents

air

bread soda

baking powder

yeast

air us introduced by

sieving - hold sieve high above bowl catches air while falling

rubbing in - catches air while falling

creaming - butter and sugar

whisking - other ingredients

air in oven

1. mixture is heated

2. hot air rises, pushing mix up

air finished

crust forms trapping air bubbles - stops from collapsing

bread soda/baking soda/bicarbonate of soda how?

chemical reaction in mixture

bread soda = alkali

acid + alkali + liquid = CO2

bread soda/baking soda/bicarbonate of soda in oven

1. CO2 expands and rises when heated

2. pushes mixture up

3. crust forms trapping air bubbles

baking powder how?

chemical reaction in mixture

baking powder = acid and alkali

acid + alkali + liquid = CO2

baking powder in oven

exact same as bread soda

yeast how?

living organisms

multiply and produce CO2 in warm moist environments e.g. bread dough

need to let rise for a few hours

yeast in oven

same as baking powder and bread soda

define gluten

a protein found in wheat and other cereals (mainly wheat) when gluten is moistened it becomes strechy and elastic this allows bread to rise

methods of making bread and cakes

rubbing in

creaming

all-in-one

whisking

melting

rubbing in

fat is rubbed into flour with the tips of the fingers until it looks like breadcrumbs e.g. fruit crumble

creaming

fat and sugar are beaten together until paler and creamy e.g. cupcakes

all-in-one

all ingredients are added at once and mixed thoroughly by hand or using an electric mixer or food processor e.g. cupcakes

whisking

eggs and sugar are whisked until thick and creamy e.g. sponge cakes

melting

all ingredients that melt together are melted together e.g. sponge cake

commercial cake mixes

contain all the dry ingredients needed to make a cake e.g. flour, sugar, additives

to make the cake you add the wet ingredients e.g. egg, milk, water, oil

pros of commercial cake mixes

quick to make

no need to measure ingredients

less equipment needed

less skillsn required

cons of commercial cake mixes

lots of packaging - bad for environment

may contain a lot of sugar, fat, salt

not as fresh tasting - artificial additives

lower quality