Last month, I talked about how bread and other baked items rise, and the different ways and means by which that can happen. To review: yeast is a biological leavening agent that causes gluten to develop and then rise when mixed with fluid and heat. Chemical leavening agents, such as baking soda and baking powder, react with an acid and heat to cause breads to rise. Lastly, mechanical leavening agents, such as whipped egg whites, can also cause breads to rise as well. Additionally, I pointed out the difference between baking soda and baking powder. Bottom line: they ARE different, and cannot be substituted for each other.
Continue reading “Hope You’re in the Mood to Bake!”Category: in print!
Rising to the Occasion: Lessons in Baking
Ever wonder what makes bread rise? (I mean, other than the obvious answer: yeast.) But HOW exactly does yeast—or perhaps another leavening agent—cause bread to rise, you ask? I’ll tell you.
Continue reading “Rising to the Occasion: Lessons in Baking”Transferring Heat in the Kitchen
Let’s get back to basics, shall we?
I’ve been reading the novel Lessons in Chemistry after receiving it for Christmas, and it’s inspired—potentially—my next 12 columns. The book itself is great and checks all the boxes for me (strong female character, a little romance, a little humor), but it really reminded me how much I loved chemistry and food science in college. The truth is, cooking basically IS chemistry, and a little understanding of what’s going on will go a long way in your kitchen.
Continue reading “Transferring Heat in the Kitchen”
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