Baking Techniques and Processes PDF

BAKING  Baking is a food cooking method that uses prolonged dry heat by convection, rather than by thermal radiation, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones.  The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods are baked.  Heat is gradually transferre...

BAKING  Baking is a food cooking method that uses prolonged dry heat by convection, rather than by thermal radiation, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones.  The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods are baked.  Heat is gradually transferred "from the surface of cakes, cookies, and breads to their center. As heat travels through it transforms batters and doughs into baked goods with a firm dry crust and a softer center".  Baking can be combined with grilling to produce a hybrid barbecue variant by using both methods simultaneously, or one after the other. Baking is related to barbecuing because the concept of the masonry oven is similar to that of a smoke pit.  Because of historical social and familial roles, baking has traditionally been performed at home by women for domestic consumption and by men in bakeries and restaurants for local consumption. When production was industrialized, baking was automated by machines in large factories.  A person who prepares baked goods as a profession is called a baker. Food and Techniques  All types of food can be baked but some require special care and protection from direct heat. Various techniques have been developed to provide this protection.  In addition to bread, baking is used to prepare cakes, pastries, pies, tarts, quiches, cookies, scones, crackers, pretzels, and more. These popular items are known collectively as "baked goods," and are often sold at a bakery, which is a store that carries only baked goods, or at markets, grocery stores, or through other venues.  Meat, including cured meats, such as ham can also be baked, but baking is usually reserved for meatloaf, smaller cuts of whole meats, or whole meats that contain stuffing or coating such as bread crumbs or buttermilk batter.  Eggs can also be used in baking to produce savory or sweet dishes. In combination with dairy products especially cheese, they are often prepared as a dessert.  Baking can also be used to prepare various other foods such as baked potatoes, baked apples, baked beans, some casseroles and pasta dishes such as lasagna. Commercial Baking  Baking eventually developed into a commercial industry using automated machinery which enabled more goods to be produced for widespread distribution.  Some makers of snacks such as potato chips or crisps have produced baked versions of their snack products as an alternative to the usual cooking method of deep-frying in an attempt to reduce their calorie or fat content.  Baking has opened up doors to businesses such as cake shops and factories where the baking process is done with larger amounts in large, open furnaces.  The aroma and texture of baked goods as they come out of the oven are strongly appealing but is a quality that is quickly lost. Process  The dry heat of baking changes the form of starches in the food and causes its outer surfaces to brown, giving it an attractive appearance and taste. The browning (Maillard) reaction is caused by caramelization of sugars.  The baking process does not require any fat to be used to cook in an oven. When baking, consideration must be given to the amount of fat that is contained in the food item.