Search

Chemical leavening agents allow bread dough to be prepared in minutes instead of hours. Chemical leavens, such as baking soda and baking powder, react immediately when combined with a liquid so they are mixed with the other dry ingredients before any liquid ingredients are added.

Risen breads rely on a means of producing carbon dioxide gas that becomes trapped in the batter or dough causing the dough to rise. The carbon dioxide gas is produced either as a byproduct of fermentation or through the use of chemical agents.

Quick Breads Quick bread refers to breads that require minimal preparation time, are made from batter more often than from dough, and are leavened with chemical agents, such as baking soda or baking powder, instead of yeast or natural starters.

Leavening Agents | Liquids | SaltsFats and Oils | Sweeteners | Other Flavoring Ingredients Leavening Agents Leavening agents are the substances that allow bread dough to rise.

Sourdough Starter | Sponge Starter | Old Dough Method The primary difference between making bread with a starter and making bread with the direct or straight yeast method is that starter breads require much more time to prepare, but the flavor and texture of the bread is almost impossible to achieve with other leavening methods.

Fresh Cake Yeast | Active Dry Yeast | Quick-Rising Active Dry Yeast Yeast that is activated in warm water before it is mixed with the flour and other ingredients to form dough, is the simplest leavening method for preparing yeasted breads.

The most common method for bread baking is with the use of an indoor oven. The proper bread baking temperature is more readily achieved with a modern oven than with any other method.

Types of Wheat Flour | Types of Non-Wheat FlourImportance of Gluten | Wheat/Non-Wheat Flour Proportions Flour is the main ingredient in all types of breads. Different types of flour milled from wheat are most commonly used for making bread.

Types of Flour Ground from Wheat One of the primary reasons for the popularity of wheat flour is due to its gluten forming capacity when the flour is mixed with liquid. Gluten is the substance that provides dough with elasticity and the ability to stretch as the leavening agent produces carbon dioxide gas, which enables the dough to rise effectively.

Dry Ingredients | Solid Ingredients | Liquid Ingredients | Fat Ingredients There are many ingredients that have special functions in the baking and cooking process. Some functions are critical to the success of the finished product.