Basic Baking Ingredients

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Both baking powder and baking soda are chemical leavening agents that cause batters to rise when baked. The leavener enlarges the bubbles which are already present in the batter produced through creaming of ingredients

Butter

Butter is produced by churning cream until the fats separate from the liquid (buttermilk) and the butter is in a semi-solid state. In North America butter must contain at least 80 percent butterfat, a maximum of 16% water and 2% milk solids.

Cream

Cream is the fat that rises to the top of whole milk. Heavy cream or heavy "whipping" cream, has 36 - 40% butterfat and when whipped it holds its form and doubles in volume. Heavy cream is used for filling and decorating pastries

Eggs

Eggs, as well as flour, are the structural ingredients in baking. Eggs provide leavening; add color, texture, flavor and richness to the batter. They are very important in helping to bind all the other ingredients together. Beaten eggs are a leavening agent as they incorporate air into the batter, which will expand in the oven and cause the cake to rise

Flour

When used in baking flour contributes body and structure, texture and flavor to baked goods. The type of flour used will ultimately affect the finished product. Flour contains protein and when it comes in contact with water and heat it produces gluten, which gives elasticity and strength to baked goods

Nuts

Nuts are sold in various forms: shelled and unshelled; raw, toasted, toasted and salted, smoked, candied and with various flavorings. To toast the nuts, spread on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for anywhere between 8-20 minutes.... More on Nuts

Sugar

When using sugar most people think of it only as a sweetener. For example, adding a teaspoon to your coffee or sprinkling a little over strawberries. But when sugar is used in baking its role becomes more complex as it also adds volume, tenderness, texture, color, and acts as a preservative....

Brown sugar: Cake recipes often call for brown sugar. This consists of sugar crystals coated with molasses, while retaining the natural colour and flavour. Dark and light brown sugars are available in the market. Dark brown sugar has a stronger colour and flavour as compared to light brown sugar. Fructose: This is fruit sugar. It is the naturally occurring sugar in fruits and honey. It is one and a half times as sweet as sucrose but has the same caloric content. It is absorbed very slowly and hence does not result in a rapid rise in blood sugar. Glucose: This is another naturally occurring sugar. It is found in fruits, some vegetables and honey. It results in a quick and significant rise in blood sugar. All the sugars taken in the food are converted to glucose in the body after digestion and the body uses it as a source of energy. Honey: It is a naturally produced form, which varies in sweetness and the flavour. It contains about 35 per cent glucose, 40 per cent sucrose and 25 per cent water. Invert sugar: Inversion or chemical breakdown of sucrose results in invert sugar. Invert sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose in equal proportions. Invert sugar is sweeter than granulated sugar. It is mainly used to retard crystallization of sugar and retain moisture. Lactose: This is the naturally present sugar in the milk. So you cannot skip this sugar

if you are drinking milk. Maltose: Maltose is the breakdown product of the starches. It is formed when two molecules of glucose combine. It is taken in as food and rapidly breaks down into glucose in the intestine. Mannitol: This is a lesser-known form of sugar. It is present naturally attached to an alcohol, hence called sugar alcohol. It causes less rise of blood sugar than sucrose or glucose but it is used in lesser amounts since excess intake causes diarrhoea. Molasses: Also referred to as the golden syrup and is often listed in the list of ingredients for making cakes. It is a syrup that is obtained when raw sugar is processed to get sucrose. The total sugar content varies from 50 to 75 per cent, hence diabetics should be aware of this syrupy sugar. Sorbitol: Another sugar alcohol, which is present naturally in fruits. It is more slowly absorbed than glucose and causes a very small rise in blood sugar in diabetics with well-controlled diabetes. Sucrose: It is also known as table sugar, white sugar, granulated sugar and powdered or confectioner's sugar. It is a naturally occurring sugar that is made from sugarcane or sugar beets. It is this form of sugar that we normally consume. It is made of equal quantities of glucose and fructose. In uncontrolled diabetes, sucrose can lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar. Xylitol: It is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, which acts as a sweetener. It is found in plants and is used as a substitute for sugar. It is less slowly absorbed than glucose and sucrose but its safety is still a controversial issue. Thus it has a very limited use.

Yeast Baker's yeast, like baking powder and baking soda, is used to leavened baked goods (breads,
Danish pastries, brioche, croissants). The difference between these two leaveners is that baking
powder/soda react chemically to produce the carbon dioxide that makes the baked goods rise. Yeast, on the other hand, is a living organism and the carbon dioxide it produces is the result of the yeast feeding on the dough. The two forms of baker's yeast are; compressed cakes (also called fresh yeast) and dehydrated granules (dry yeast)......More on Yeast

Standardized milk- This is made by combining buffalo milk and skimmed milk. The fat percentage is maintained at 4.5% while the SNF is 8.5%. Whole milk: Whole milk must contain at least 3.25% milk fat and 8.25% milk solids by weight which means it derives about 50% of its calories from fat. Because of this relatively high fat content, whole milk is best used only for infants and young children up to age 2. Reduced-fat milk (2%): This milk contains 2% milk fat. The percentage of milk fat refers to the percentage of fat by weight, and much of milk's weight is water. Once you subtract the water from 2% milk, for example, you're left with a product that contains 20% fat by weight; such milk actually derives 35% of its calories from fat. Drinking 2% milk is a good way to wean oneself from whole milk at first, but is too high in fat as a permanent choice, unless your diet is otherwise very low in fat. Low-fat milk (1%): One-percent milk gets 23% of its calories from fat. Many people find low-fat milk more appealing and a good compromise. Skimmed milk/non-fat milk: This type of milk has as much fat removed as possible. It may not

contain more than 0.5% milk fat by weight, and usually contains less than 0.5 gm of fat per cup, deriving just 5% of its calories from fat. Skimmed milk has about half the calories of whole milk. It is the best choice for adults, and is the only type of milk that should be consumed by people on strict low-fat diets. Unfortunately, skim milk has a very "thin" flavor and an unappealing bluish cast.

Flour Types
It is very important to use the right kind of flour when baking as each has a specific purpose. Flour should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It is best not to mix old and new flour, and to buy only the amount of flour you will use within two or three months. If you wish to keep it for a longer period, it is best to store it in a freezer. Chlorinated or high ratio flour, also known as Hong King flour, is special cake flour that is able to hold large amounts of liquid. This gives the cake produced a very soft crumb and a light, moist, fine texture. They are also sweeter, have greater volume and a longer shelf life than cakes made with standard flour. High grade or strong flour. Also called Bakers Flour is made from semi-hard wheat and has a medium to high protein content. It is used for making bread. Pastry flour has a high protein content and should be very white and free of any bran particles to ensure a good pastry product. Self-raising flour is made by combining flour with baking powder or a similar chemical aerating agent. These are sifted together many times until they are thoroughly combined and the baking powder is evenly distributed through the flour. This kind of flour is perfect for making pikelets and scones Standard or plain flour, also called soft flour, is made from soft wheat varieties and has a low protein content. It is used for making cakes and biscuits as it gives the baked product a tender texture. Cake flour for traditional cakes should be very fine, white and clean. This enables it to hold more liquid. Wholemeal flour contains all parts of the wheat grain. It is used in various baked products, including cakes, biscuits, slices, scones and muffins.