Baking Principles
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to:
1. understand the basic mixing process of bread making;
2. determine factors that affect bread making and baking; and
3. Practice on how to control gluten development.
Basic Mixing Processes
Mixing is a generic term that pertains stirring, blending, creaming, folding, beating, and whipping until it
becomes one product. Each of the term produce a specific texture and quality to the baked goodies.
Three phases of mixing in the production of dough and batters:
1. Blending the ingredients
2. Forming the dough
3. Developing the dough
Air Cell Formation
Air cells are seen in the cut surface of bread and other bake items. Proper mixture is needed to
acquire the desired texture of bread.
1. Crust – result of the loos of moisture
Note:
Baking bread will slow crust formation on the surface; thus, allows the bread to continue
rising.
An amount if moisture is lost during baking. For example, 1-pound loaf of baked bread will
be weighed 18 ounce instead.
The percentage of weight loss depends on proportion of surface area to volume, baking
time, temperature and whether the item is baked in a pan or directly on the oven.
2. Crumb – the interior of baked goods.
a. Hydration is the process of absorbing water.
b. Gelatinization (105 degrees Celsius or 40 degrees Celsius ) the process in baking, wherein the
het causes the starch to absorb water and gelatinize.
c. Yeast – needs warm water and sugar as food to become active for fermentation process.
d. Salt, sugar and chemical leaveners such as baking powder must be dissolve in water in order
to have a desirable effect on the baked items
e. Water controls temperature and enables the baker to control the temperature of the dough
or butter. The adjustment of amount of water or other liquid enables the baker to attain the
right or softness of a dough or batter.
f. Oxidation is the process that occurs when oxygen from the air reacts with proteins and other
components of flour during mixing. Oxidation increases when mixing time are long.
g. If whiter bread is desired, salt can be added later in the mixing process, after uch of the
pigment has already been oxidized in bread dough is controlled by using the proper mixing
time.
Controlling Gluten Development
Gluten (the stretchable substance) proteins are needed to give structure to bake goods.
Glutenin and gliadin are two proteins found in wheat flour. Coagulation is the firming or
hardening of gluten proteins, usually cause by heat.
Factors to Consider in Bred Making
1. Selection of Flours – Hard flour for bread making and soft flour for cakes and other pastries.
2. Fat and other tenderizers.
Shortening. Any fat used in baking because it shortens gluten standards.
Sugar is another tenderizer that inhibits gluten development.
3. Water – the amount of water in a formula can effect toughness or tenderness. The condition
of the water used in bread doughs, specifically hardness (mineral content) and Ph, also
effects gluten.
4. Mixing Methods and Mixing Time
Three important processes take place:
a. The mixing action = water blends with the flour for hydration process.
b. During mixing = oxygen in the air reacts with the gluten and helps strengthen it and
makes it more elastic.
c. The mixing action = development of gluten (stretchable, elastic) and forms a window
pane (thin sheet and do not break, but elastic)
Note: Do not over mix ferment the dough; it will result in poor loaf volume.
Dough relaxation is a technique in the production of most dough to allow them to rest so the gluten
strands will adjust to their new length and shape, and they become less tight.
Leavening. Yeast fermentation helps in the expansion, tenderizing effect and stretching of gluten.
5. Temperature
a. Ideal temperature in mixing dough is at warm room temperature 70 to 80 foreign high.
b. Ideal temperature in fermentation process is at room temperature 60-degree foreign
high that at cold temperature.
c. Ideal benching is 60 degrees foreign high and proofing is 70 to 85 degrees foreign high
d. Tender products like pie dough are best made with ice-cold water and mixed at a cool
temperature, to limit the gluten content.
Note: Required oven temperature is important. High temperature would start coagulation too soon,
before the expansion of gases reaches its peak; thus, gives a poor volume or a split crust.
If the temperature is too low, the proteins do not coagulate soon enough, and the product may
collapse.
6. Cooling
a. Loss of moisture content once the baked product is removed from the oven.
b. During cooling, the moisture content tries to equalize throughout the item and it gives a
crisp crust but still soft.
c. Cooling makes bread firm enough to handle.
d. Cut bread when it is cool.
Staling is the change in texture and aroma of baked good due to a change of structure and a loss of
moisture by the starch granules.
Note: Bread should be stored at room temperature for short-term usage or at freezer for long-term
usage.
Techniques in Baking
If you are looking at a recipe that is written in cups and teaspoon, then you need to have 2
kinds of measuring cups which are one set for dry ingredients and one or two liquid
measuring cups.
Dry measuring cups come in a nested set. There is usually have a 1 cup, ½ cup, 1/3 cup and
¼ cup measure in each set.
Liquid measuring cups look like a pitcher with a handle on one side, a spot on the other and
lots of little lines printed on the side.
You should also have a set of measuring spoons. Most sets have 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon,
½ teaspoon, and ¼ teaspoon. These can be used for smaller quantities of both dry and liquid
ingredients.
1. Preparation of Baking Ingredients.
How to measure dry ingredients?
When measuring dry powders like flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, or
salt, you want to place your measuring cup or spoon over a canister, sink or sheet of
parchment paper. Then, lightly spoon in the ingredients until it is overflowing the cup. Next,
slide the back of a knife or the side of spatula over the top rim of the cup to level it.
References
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