Starting to bake means getting to know your ingredients, because each one undergoes its own chemical reactions. That's why you should understand your ingredients before you begin baking.
1. Wheat Flour
Wheat flour has a special property: it contains two proteins, glutenin and gliadin. When these combine with water in the right proportions, they form gluten, a stretchy, elastic substance that traps gas and creates a sponge-like structure.
Two kinds of wheat are milled into flour:
- Hard wheat
- Soft wheat
There are three kinds of wheat flour on the market:
- Bread flour: high protein, 12–14%, suitable for general bread making.
- All-purpose flour: medium protein, 10–11%, suitable for pastries, cookies, noodles and patongko (Thai fried dough sticks).
- Cake flour: low protein, 7–9%, suitable for cakes.
2. Water
Water is another key ingredient, including the water in milk or fruit juice. It combines with the flour proteins to form gluten.
Water can be divided into six types: soft water, hard water, alkaline water, acidic water, saline water and water containing suspended solids.
The roles of water
- Helps form gluten.
- Dissolves other ingredients such as sugar and salt.
- Controls the temperature and consistency of the dough.
- Wets and swells the starch, helping enzymes work well.
- Helps products keep longer.
3. Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate; here it means sucrose. There are several types:
- Refined white sugar
- Brown sugar
- Raw sugar
- Icing sugar
- Syrup / glucose syrup (corn or dextrose sugar)
The roles of sugar in bakery products
- Adds sweetness and flavour.
- Feeds yeast during fermentation.
- Is broken down by enzymes into smaller sugar molecules.
- Helps stabilise creamed butter and whipped eggs.
- Gives bakes a more attractive colour.
- Adds nutritional value.
4. Fat
Oils and fats are made of fatty acids and glycerol, differing in the type of fatty acids they contain. "Oil" refers to fats that are liquid at room temperature, while "fat" refers to those that are solid at room temperature.
Fats used in baking come from both plants and animals:
- Animal: butterfat (from milk), lard and fish oil.
- Plant: coconut oil, palm oil, and oils from seeds such as cotton, sesame and various beans.
Types of fat used in baking
- Butter
- Vegetable oil
- Vegetable or animal shortening
- Margarine
- Cocoa butter
The roles of fat in different bakery products
- Yeast products such as bread: adds softness and flavour, helps retain the gas produced and keep outside air out, and lubricates the gluten to increase volume.
- Cakes: traps air when creamed with sugar. Fats containing emulsifiers help the water and fat in the mixture combine well, especially in high-ratio cakes. Fat also adds flavour and softness and extends shelf life.
- Cookies and pie dough: provides stability and gives them their characteristic structure.
5. Eggs
Most bakery products use hen's eggs; in Thailand they are used fresh. Eggs help products rise, and also:
- Darken the colour of products.
- Add nutritional value.
- Add flavour and richness.
6. Salt
The salt used in baking generally means sodium chloride.
The roles of salt
- Enhances flavour.
- Controls yeast activity during fermentation.
- Strengthens the gluten so the dough stretches well.
- Helps prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria.
7. Leavening Agents
Products are made light and fluffy in three ways:
- Air: e.g. sifting flour, creaming butter with sugar and whipping eggs.
- Steam: water in the mixture expands into steam during baking, as in cream puffs and puff pastry.
- Carbon dioxide: produced either by a biochemical process, or by a chemical process using baking powder, baking soda, ammonia and so on.
Yeast
Yeast is a single-celled organism that reproduces by budding or division. It needs sugar as food, and the ideal temperature for growth is 70–95°F. There are three types of yeast: fresh yeast, active dry yeast (granules) and instant dry yeast (powder).
The roles of yeast:
- Produces carbon dioxide, which makes the dough expand.
- Creates the dough's structure and texture.
- Gives products their distinctive flavour.
- Adds nutritional value.
How to test yeast: stir 1 tablespoon of yeast into 1 tablespoon of warm water and leave it. If bubbles appear on the surface within 5–10 minutes, the yeast is still good.
Baking soda
Baking soda is chemically known as sodium bicarbonate. It breaks down when heated. Its drawback is that it leaves a residue, and too much gives a bitter, astringent taste. To neutralise the residue, add a food acid such as sour milk.
Baking powder
Baking powder is a raising agent made of sodium bicarbonate, an acidic compound and cornflour, which keeps the two from reacting directly. There are two types: single-acting and double-acting baking powder.
8. Milk
Milk adds nutrition and a distinctive flavour. Three types are used in baking: fresh milk, condensed milk and milk powder.
The roles of milk
- Adds nutritional value and appeal.
- Deepens colour.
- Acts as a solvent to bring ingredients together and build structure.
9. Dough Improvers (SP)
Dough improvers are powdered blends containing one or more substances that soften the gluten. They change the properties of the dough to produce better bread. They differ from ingredients such as sugar, fat or eggs: only a very small amount is needed for good results. To make them easier to weigh and measure, they are usually blended with non-reactive ingredients, and they are sold under various trade names.
The substances used to dilute these fast-acting ingredients also affect bread quality. For example, malt powder or malt flour, one such diluent, has its own enzyme activity.
