Baking: Techniques, History, and Modern Industry

• Baking is a cooking method using prolonged dry heat by convection or thermal radiation, typically in an oven, but also in hot ashes or on hot stones.
• Bread is the most common baked item.
• Heat gradually transfers from the surface of cakes, cookies, and breads to their center, transforming batters and doughs, resulting in a firm, dry crust and a softer center.
• Baking can be combined with grilling to produce a hybrid barbecue variant.
• The concept of a masonry oven in baking is similar to a smoke pit used in barbecuing.
• Historically, baking was done at home by women for domestic consumption and in bakeries/restaurants by men for local consumption.
• In modern times, the baking industry has become automated with machines.
• A person who prepares baked goods as a profession is known as a baker.

Food and Techniques

• All types of food can be baked, though some require special care and protection from direct heat, employing various specialized techniques.
• Beyond bread, baking is used to prepare cakes, pastries, pies, tarts, quiches, cookies, scones, crackers, pretzels, etc., which are collectively known as "baked goods".
• Baked goods are sold at bakeries, markets, grocery stores, and other venues.
• Meat, including cured meats like ham, can be baked, though it's usually reserved for meatloaf, smaller cuts, or meats with stuffing/coating like bread crumbs or buttermilk batter.
• Eggs can be baked to produce savory or sweet dishes, often combined with dairy products, especially cheese, and often prepared as a dessert.
• Other foods that can be baked include potatoes, apples, beans, casseroles, and pasta dishes like lasagna.

Commercial Baking

• Baking has evolved into a commercial industry using automated machinery for widespread distribution.
• Some snack companies have created baked versions of products like potato chips as alternatives to deep-frying, in an attempt to reduce calorie or fat content. Baking is done in establishments like cake shops and factories with large amounts in open furnaces.
• The aroma and texture of freshly baked goods possess a strong, appealing quality, which is quickly lost.

Process

• The dry heat of baking alters starches in food, browning the outer surfaces for an appealing appearance and taste.
• The browning (Maillard) reaction occurs due to the caramelization of sugars.
• Baking doesn't require any fat to be used, though consideration is given to the amount of fat already in the food item.

Explore the art of baking, a cooking method that uses dry heat. Learn about the transformation of batters and doughs into baked goods like bread, cakes, and cookies. Discover the history of baking from home-based practices to today's automated industry.