ABSTRACT

This chapter is a whirlwind tour of the world of baking, outlining the principles of the various baking techniques. Yeast was the main source of leavening until the 1800s, when chemicals (for example, baking soda) replaced yeast as the leavener in some applications, like Irish soda bread. These functions are leavening, sweetening, flavoring, stabilizing, thickening, and tenderizing. Double-acting baking powder releases gas twice, once when it contacts moisture and again when it is heated. However, salt also performs two additional important functions in baking: it strengthens dough and it inhibits the uncontrolled growth of yeast. In Asia, rice flour (finely ground rice) is sometimes used to provide structure in baking, although it does not form gluten like wheat flour. The process for creating the traditional Jewish bagel differs in one major respect from baking standard breads.