Ingredients

Understanding the need of right ingredients in baking is the fundamental key to the perfect recipe and mastering the art of baking. Each and every ingredient is important for the dish to come out well. These contribute to the  texture, flavor, taste and overall success of the final product.

So here is the breakdown to the basic baking ingredients .

• Flour: No doubt that baking goods are made up of different flours but the most preferred and the versatile one is the all purpose flour which is used in a variety of products and provide structure and stability. This flour is rich in all the protein and primarily gluten that form a network when mixed with liquid and helps the dough to rise.

Other kind of flours have different proteins and nutrients which are perfect for the specific kind of baking item.

• Leavening agents: The other most important ingredients which  helps the dough to become airy, lighter and soft is the leavening agents. The most common are:

Baking powder: It is commonly used in the recipe which do not have any acidic ingredients as it contains both an acid and a base. This agent just require heat and moisture to activate.

Baking Soda: This agent is used in the recipe which already has an acidic agent to react like yogurt, curd, buttermilk or vinegar. It always react with these kind of ingredients to react and form carbon dioxide which helps the dough to rise.

Yeast: It is biological agent which is used in bread making. It ferments the sugar in dough form carbon dioxide or alcohol makes the dough rise.

• Sugar: It not only makes the dish sweet but also contribute to the texture, flavor and taste. The most  common kinds of sugar which are used in baking are listed below:-

Granulated Sugar: It adds sweetness and helps to tenderize the dough by absorbing the moisture.

Brown Sugar: Mostly used in baking the cookies which gives moisture to the dough and caramel like flavor.

Confectioner’s Sugar: Also known as grounded sugar, it is finely crushed and used for icing or dusting.

Molasses, Honey and Maple Syrup: These three not only add sweetness to the baking recipe but also add moisture and distinctive flavor.

• Liquids: These are required to add moisture and activating the leaving agents. If we do not used the liquids it would make baking items dry and hard.

The most common liquids which are used in baking are:

Milk: As it has lactose content it helps with browning. Milk add moisture, flavor and nutritional value.

Water: It is used in the recipes like bread which are quite common and do not require any additional flavor.

Buttermilk:- A liquid which reacts with making soda to give tender, light and airy texture to the dough,

• Fats: They contribute to the moisture, flavor and texture of baked goods. The most common fats which are used in baking are:

Oil: flavorless one like vegetable oil.

Butter: Provide rich flavor and tender crumb.

Shortening: Creates a tender and flaky texture  especially in pies and certain cookies.

Understanding these ingredients that how they work and how they come together will leave you with a vast knowledge of baking, making your recipes come out perfectly.