Basic Principles of Baking Formulas and Measurement Bakers generally talk about formulas rather than recipes. • The bakeshop is much like a chemistry laboratory. • Both in the scientific accuracy of all the procedures and in the complex reactions that take place during mixing and baking. 1
Basic Principles of Baking Formulas and Measurement • All ingredients must be weighed. • Accuracy of measurement is critical in the bakeshop.
• Measurement is by weight rather than by volume. • Weight is much more accurate.
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Basic Principles of Baking Formulas and Measurement • Scaling: the baker’s term for weighing out ingredients. • The following ingredients may be measured by volume. • Water • Milk • Eggs • They weigh 1 pound per pint or 1 kilogram per liter. • All other liquid ingredients and all dry ingredients are normally weighed. 3
Basic Principles of Baking Formulas and Measurement Baker’s Percentages • Bakers’ percentages express the amount of each ingredient used as a percentage of the amount of flour used. • The percentage of each ingredient is its total weight divided by the weight of the flour, multiplied by 100 percent.
weight of ingredient × 100% = % of ingredient weight of flour • Flour is always 100 percent (if two kinds of flour are used, their total is 100 percent). 4
Basic Principles of Baking Formulas and Measurement Baker’s Percentages • The advantage of using baker’s percentages: • The formula is easily adapted for any yield. • Single ingredients may be varied without changing the whole formulation. • Remember that these numbers do not refer to the percentage of the total yield. • They are simply a way of expressing ingredient proportions.
• The total of these percentage numbers will always be greater than 100 percent. 5
Basic Principles of Baking Formulas and Measurement Selection of ingredients • Another basic rule of accuracy in the bakeshop is: • Use the exact ingredients specified. • Bakers’ formulas are balanced for specific ingredients. • Different flours, shortenings, and other ingredients do not function alike.
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Basic Principles of Baking Mixing and Gluten Development What is Gluten? https://youtu.be/zDEcvSc2UKA?t=38
• Gluten is a substance made up of proteins present in wheat flour. • It gives structure and strength to baked goods.
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Basic Principles of Baking Mixing and Gluten Development What is Gluten? • In order for gluten to be developed: • The proteins must first absorb water. • Once the dough or batter is mixed or kneaded, the gluten forms long, elastic strands. • As the dough or batter is leavened, the strands capture the gases in tiny pockets or cells (also known as “rising”). • Once the product is baked, the gluten proteins coagulate and give structure to the product. 8
Basic Principles of Baking Mixing and Gluten Development The baker must be able to control the gluten. • Flour is mostly starch, but its protein or gluten content, not its starch, concerns the baker most. • Without gluten proteins to give structure, baked goods would not hold together. • Ingredient proportions and mixing methods are determined, in part, by how they affect the development of gluten.
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Basic Principles of Baking Mixing and Gluten Development How does the baker control gluten? • Selection of flours: Wheat flours develop gluten. • Strong flour: Comes from hard wheat and has high protein content. • Weak flour: Comes from soft wheat and has low protein content.
• Shortening: Fat used in baking that shortens gluten strands. • Liquid: The amount of water in gluten protein formula can affect toughness (too much liquid) or tenderness (little liquid). • Mixing methods: More gluten develops as dough/batter is mixed.
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Basic Principles of Baking The Baking Process 1. Melting of fats. 2. Formation and expansion of gases.
3. Killing of yeast and other microorganisms. 4. Coagulation of proteins. 5. Gelatinization of starches.
6. Escape of water and other gases. 7. Crust formation and browning.
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Basic Principles of Baking Staling The change in texture and aroma of baked goods is due to: • Change in structure. • Loss of moisture by the starch granules.
Staling can be slowed by these techniques: 1. Protecting the product from air.
2. Adding moisture retainers to the formula. 3. Freezing.
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