Baking Essentials
92 flashcards by MentisLibrary
The science behind why baked goods work: creaming, gluten, leaveners, hydration, steam, candy stages, and pan prep. Learn the rules once and stop following recipes blindly.
- What is the creaming method?
- Beating softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy, incorporating air into the fat
- What does baking soda need in order to leaven?
- An acid plus moisture, which trigger it to release carbon dioxide
- What does double acting baking powder mean?
- It releases gas twice: once when moistened and again when heated
- How can you substitute for 1 teaspoon of baking powder?
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- What is gluten?
- An elastic protein network formed when glutenin and gliadin in wheat flour are mixed with water
- Why should muffin batter be mixed only until just combined?
- Overmixing develops gluten, making muffins tough with tunnels inside
- What is the approximate protein content of cake flour?
- About 7 to 9 percent, the lowest of common wheat flours
- What is the approximate protein content of all purpose flour?
- About 10 to 12 percent protein
- What is the approximate protein content of bread flour?
- About 12 to 14 percent protein
- How do you substitute cake flour using all purpose flour?
- For 1 cup: remove 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, then sift
- What is autolyse in bread making?
- Resting just flour and water together, typically 20 to 60 minutes, before adding salt and yeast
- What water temperature is ideal for activating active dry yeast?
- About 105 to 115 F
- At what temperature does yeast die?
- Around 140 F, so hot liquids will kill it
- What is the difference between instant and active dry yeast?
- Instant yeast can be mixed directly into flour, while active dry is traditionally dissolved in warm water first
- What does proofing mean?
- The final rise of shaped dough before baking, as yeast produces carbon dioxide
- How do you tell when dough is fully proofed?
- Poke test: gently press a floured finger in 1/2 inch, the dent should spring back slowly and partially
- What is oven spring?
- The rapid final rise of bread during the first minutes of baking, before the crust sets
- What is the windowpane test?
- Stretching a small piece of dough thin enough to see light through without tearing, showing gluten is fully developed
- What is the difference between lean and enriched dough?
- Lean dough is just flour, water, salt, and yeast; enriched dough adds fat, sugar, eggs, or dairy
- What is baker's percentage?
- Expressing every ingredient as a percentage of the flour weight, with flour always equal to 100 percent
- What is a typical hydration range for everyday bread dough?
- About 65 to 75 percent water relative to flour weight
- What internal temperature indicates lean bread is done?
- About 200 to 210 F for lean breads, 185 to 190 F for enriched breads
- Why do bakers score bread before baking?
- Slashing the surface controls where the loaf expands, preventing random blowouts
- Why is steam added during the first part of a bread bake?
- Steam keeps the crust soft longer so the loaf can expand fully, then promotes a glossy crisp crust
- What is the classic pound cake ratio?
- Equal weights of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, a 1:1:1:1 ratio
- What is the muffin method?
- Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine with minimal stirring
- What does cutting in butter mean?
- Working cold fat into flour until pea sized pieces remain, coating flour to limit gluten and create flaky layers
- Why must butter stay cold for pie dough?
- Cold butter pieces melt in the oven, releasing steam that separates dough into flaky layers
- What is laminating dough?
- Folding butter into dough repeatedly to build many alternating thin layers of fat and dough
- What is blind baking?
- Fully or partially baking a pie crust before adding the filling