Baking History Fundamentals

• Baking involves cooking with dry heat.
• This method applies to fruits and meats.
• Grains led to the discovery of baking.
• Flour is the basic ingredient.
• Flatbread came from mashing grains, adding water, and spreading the paste on a hot stone.
• The discovery of yeast and new tools led to different breads and baked goods.
• Breadmaking existed in biblical times, during Abraham's time (200BC).
• Pastry cooking in ancient Rome was a recognized occupation.
• Pastry cooks could become members of the "pastillarium".

Major Ingredients in Baking

• Baked products contain flour, fats, sugar, eggs, water/milk, and leavening agents.
• Flour provides product structure.
• Wheat flour contains enough gluten-forming protein for baked goods.
• Other flours include rye, rice, corn, millet, barley, and oats.

Types of Flour

• Bread flour is hard wheat flour with 11-13% protein, used for breads and soft rolls.
• All-purpose flour is a mix of hard and soft wheat flour with 8-12% protein.
• Cake flour is soft wheat flour with 6-9% protein, good for cakes and cookies.
• Clear flour is hard wheat flour with 13-15% protein, used in rye breads.
• Durum flour is made from durum wheat with 12-14% protein, used in breadmaking.
• High-gluten flour is milled from the entire endosperm with 13-14% protein, for bagels and hard rolls.
• Pastry flour is for pie crust, dough, muffins, and pastries.
• Semolina is coarsely-ground durum wheat flour, used in pasta.
• Whole wheat flour is hard wheat flour from the entire wheat kernel with 14-16% protein.

Liquids

• Liquids attribute to the moistness and texture, and hydrates protein, starch and leavening agents.

Kinds of Liquid Ingredients

• Milk and creams are common, evaporated milk has 60% of its water removed.
• Juice adds flavor and color, best used with baking soda.
• Water is a universal solvent that helps form gluten.
• Necessary yeast fermentation reproduction.
• Responsible for bread-dough consistency.
• Temperature changes texture.

Fat

• Can be liquid or solid, from animals or vegetables.
• Fats tenderize, soften structure, add moistness/richness, increase keeping quality, add flavor, and assist in leavening.

Kinds of Fat

• Butter is salted/unsalted, made from fatty milk protein, good for pastries and cakes.
• Margarine is made from hydrogenated fats with flavoring, emulsifiers, and coloring.
• Oil is liquid fat from vegetables, nuts, or seeds, not common in cakes because it shortens the product too much.
• Lard comes from the side of a hog, but rarely used.
• Shortening is solid fat for baking, white and tasteless, for flaky products like pie crusts.

Sugar

• Also known as a sweetener, sugar comes in different forms.
• Sugar adds tenderness, color, absorbs moisture, helps creaming, stabilizes meringue, feeds yeast, creates confections, and prevents freezing when mixed with water

Kinds of Sugar

• Granulated/refined cane sugar is regular white sugar with varying granules.
• Confectioner/powdered sugar is finely ground sugar mixed with starch, used for icing.
• Brown sugar comes in raw, light/medium brown color, has more impurities, less fructose/glucose, and low molasses and natural fibers.

Leavening Agents

• These agents make the baked product rise by producing and incorporating gases.

Types of Leavening Agents

• Yeast includes active dry/instant yeast with coarse granules and instant/rapid-rise yeast.
• Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a fine white powder with slightly salty/alkaline taste.
• Baking powder is baking soda plus an acid and starch.

Eggs

• Eggs perform many functions in baking and contribute to the structure of the baked item.
• Best used in fresh and white eggs, must be clean, fresh, and free of odors.
• Important factor is the protein content in the eggs, contributes to texture, and used as a leavening agent.
• The eggs also gives flavor, color, texture, and nutritional value.

Salt and Other Flavorings

• Enhances color, taste, slows fermentation and strengthens gluten structure.
• Other flavorings are vanilla, spices, and flavor extracts.

Tools and Equipment in Baking

• Essential for an easier baking.
• Each tool and kitchen utensil is significant in the baking process.
• Measuring cups are of two types for dry and liquid ingredients: graduated and transparent glass.
• Measuring spoon is to be used for measure small quantities of ingredients.
• Flour sifter is used for sifting the flour.
• Mixing bowls are to be used for mixing ingredients, are varied in sizes and shapes.
• Spatula is has two sizes for removing products and for spreading icing.
• Rubber scraper is used for scraping food.
• Weighing scale is made for accurately measuring.
• Utility tray is to place tools and ingredients together for easier use.
• Wire whisk is used for creaming and whipping eggs.
• Rotary eggbeater is for egg mixing.
• Baking wares come in different shapes and sizes to use specifically.
• Tube center pan is made for chiffon cakes.
• Muffin pans are made for cupcakes and muffins.
• Jelly roll pan is a must baking ware for baking rolls.
• Loaf pan is for loaf bread baking.
• Pastry bag is the icing tool that allows baking to be decorated and add whipped cream.
• Pastry brush is for spreading grease.
• Cutting tools are to be used for cutting.
• Kitchen shears are made to cut procedures.
• Grater is for grating cheese.
• Timer is for time baking in different processes.
• Ovens come in different types for baking.
• Deck ovens are stackable and places bread to be baked flat on the surface.
• Rack ovens can bake a lot by placing stacked on the racks.
• Mechanical ovens has wheels rotates in uneven rotations.
• Convection ovens circulates to cook ingredients rapidly

Basic Principles in Baking

• Must follow basic steps: measurement, exact ingredients and mixing.
• Measure accurately to achieve the best results.
• Use the exact ingredients to match the flavor and texture it offers.
• Follow the appropriate steps to cook the product the way the recipe intends.

Measuring Ingredients Correctly

• Follow the appropriate steps on measuring ingredients the recipe intends.
• Rice and flour: Using a spoon or similar tool, fill the cup overflowing, level-off.
• Sifted flour:Spoon into the cup overflowing and level-off with spatula.
• Refined sugar:Spoon into the measuring cup and level-off with spatula.
• Brown sugar: Level-off with spatula and turn out from the cup.
• Salt, pepper. level measuring and leavening agent.
• Liquid ingredients. Place the graduated glass or plastic measuring cup on a flat level surface

Baking Safety and Sanitation

• Must practice sanitation and apply knowledge in the best way to keep and handle the food.
• Maintain personal hygiene, make sure to clean clothes, visit the dentist etc.
• Keep and maintain cleanliness in handling food, washing the hands is important when touch potentially dangerous ingredients.
• Must keep and maintain cleanliness of the laboratory equipment, make sure to not leave leftover food.
• Must keep and maintain cleanliness in working areas, make sure to not leave spills uncleaned.