Major Ingredients in
Baking
I. FLOUR
• Is a finely ground meal obtained by grinding and
milling cereal grains or other root crops.
• Can be made in many other grasses and non-grain
plants, such as rye, barley, maize (corn), rice,
potatoes and other foods.
• Wheat contains protein. When mixed with water,
these proteins form as gluten. The more protein a
flour has, the stronger the gluten strength.
GLUTEN
•is a protein that acts like a
glue in wheat, barley, rye,
and some other grains, giving
them shape and texture
TYPES OF FLOUR
• HARD
FLOUR OR
BREAD
FLOUR
• High in gluten, with 12-14% protein
content and has strongest gluten
strength.
• Made with hard wheat flour.
• The high gluten content causes
the bread to rise and gives its
shape and structure.
TYPES OF FLOUR
• ALL
PURPOSE
FLOUR
• Has 10-11% protein content
and is made from blend of
hard and soft wheat flours.
• Also called as “General
Purpose Flour” or “Family
Flour”
TYPES OF FLOUR
• SOFT
FLOUR
• Comparatively low in gluten
and so results in a finer texture.
• Usually made into cake flour
which is the lowest in gluten
content and pastry flour which
has slightly more gluten than
cake flour.
TYPES OF FLOUR
• CAKE
FLOUR
• Has 7-9% protein content
and is made from soft
wheat flour.
• It is good for making cakes
and cookies where a
tender and delicate texture
is desired.
USES OF FLOUR
1. Provides structure, texture and color
to baked products.
2. Provides nutritive value to baked
products.
3. Used as thickening agent.
USES OF FLOUR
4. Used as binder of food.
5. Used as stiffening agent in laundry.
II. SUGAR
• Is a sweet, soluble organic compound
that belongs to the carbohydrate group
of food.
• They are the simplest to digest among all
carbohydrates.
TYPES OF SUGAR
REGULAR GRANULATED SUGAR OR
WHITE SUGAR
•Also known
as table
sugar or as
refined sugar
CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR OR
POWDERED SUGAR
• Granulated sugar
that has been
pulverized. To
prevent lumping
and caking, about
3% cornstarch is
added.
BROWN SUGAR
• Contains caramel,
mineral water, and
moisture. It also
contains a small
amount of
molasses. It comes
in three colors.
EFFETCS OF SUGAR IN BAKING
1. Increases dough development.
2. Makes the color of the crust richer
3. Improves nutritive value, flavor and
aroma of the product.
4. Makes the bread more tender.
5. Increase the volume of the loaf.
6. Serves as food for the yeast.
7. Contributes to moisture content of
baked products, increasing its storing
quality.
8. Acts as creaming agent.
III. EGGS
• Are considered a complete protein,
containing all the essential amino acids
humans use to build other proteins
needed by the body. Both the yolk and
the egg white contain protein, so whole
eggs or their separated components
may be used to set liquids.
III. EGGS
• They represent almost 50% of the total
cost of any baked product, thus
considered the baking ingredient with
the highest cost or expense.
USES OF EGGS IN BAKING
1. Eggs, as well as flour are the structural
ingredients in baking.
2. Eggs provide leavening; add color,
texture, flavor and richness to the
batter; and act as stabilizer in mixture
that inherently wants to separate into
its two parts, like oil and water. They
are very important in helping to bind
all the other ingredients together.
3. Beaten eggs are used as leavening
agents as they incorporate air into the
batter, which will expand in the oven
and cause the cake to rise.
4. Eggs are used as thickening agent.
5. Eggs washes are brushed on many
baked goods to create a golden
shiny top.
6. Egg whites are used to make
meringues.
IV. SHORTENING
• Is any fat which when added to flour
mixtures increases tenderness. This is
done by preventing the sticking of
gluten strands while mixing so that gluten
is shortened and makes the product
tender.
EXAMPLES OF SHORTENING
1. OIL
• Made from plant products such as corn,
cottonseeds, soybeans, peanuts and
other sources.
• Among produced oils, corn oil and
vegetable oils are commonly used in
baking.
• Unless specified in the recipe, olive oil
should not be used in baking.
2. BUTTER
• Made of fatty milk proteins. It contains
80-85% of fat, 10-15% water and 5% milk
solids.
• When used in baking, it contributes
flavor and tenderness.
3. MARGARINE
• Made from hydrogenated vegetable oil.
• It contains 80-85% fat, 10-15% percent
water and 5 % salt.
• The hydrogenation makes oil a solid.
4. LARD
• Made of fat from pork.
• Sometimes used in making pie crust and
biscuits because it gives flakier texture.
5. COCOA BUTTER
• The ivory-colored natural fat of the
cocoa beans extracted during the
manufacturing of chocolate and cocoa
butter.
USES OF SHORTENING
1. Makes bread products tender and
improve flavor.
2. Assist in gas retention giving better
volume and crust.
3. Prevent the cohesion of gluten.
4. Improve the aroma, color and texture of
baked products.
5. Improve the shelf life of baked products
because of its moisture.
V. LEAVENING AGENT
•Are gases that cause the dough to
rise.
CLASSIFICATION OF
LEAVENING AGENTS
1. CHEMICAL LEAVENERS
• Are chemical mixtures or compound
that release gases, usually carbon
dioxide.
• Use in quick breads and cakes as well as
cookies.
Example of Chemical Leaveners
A.
Baking Soda- otherwise known as
bicarbonate of soda or sodium
bicarbonate
-a powerful leavener
that readily reacts as soon as it
comes in contact with batter or
dough.
Example of Chemical Leaveners
B. Baking Powder – is a combination
of baking soda and acid salt.
Example of Chemical Leaveners
C. Cream of tartar – is tartaric acid and is a
fine white crystalline acid salt which is a
by-product of the wine-making industry.
-It is used in the whipping
of egg whites to stabilize to stabilize them
and allow them to reach maximum
volume.
2. BIOLOGICAL LEAVENERS
• YEAST-is a living organism, neither plant
nor animal. Belongs to fungus kingdom.
TYPES OF YEAST
1. Dry or granular
2. Compressed or cake type
3. Instant
VI. LIQUID INGREDIENTS
•Provide moisture to rehydrate and
activate the yeast and bring
together the flour and any other dry
ingredients to make the dough.
TYPES OF LIQUID INGREDIENTS
1. Water
•
It is the cheapest liquid used
in baking.
•
Acts as binding agent for any
baked products.
TYPES OF LIQUID INGREDIENTS
2. Milk and Other Dairy Products
•
Add a slight flavor to the final
baked good and increase its
richness.
•
Contribute to the nutritive
value of baked goods.
TYPES OF MILK USED IN BAKING
•
•
•
•
Fresh milk or whole milk
Evaporated milk
Condensed milk
Skimmed milk
•
Powder or dry milk
USES OF MILK IN BAKING
• Increases nutritive value of baked products
• Enhances texture and increases softness of
baked goods
• Acts as a strengthener when mixed with flour
because it helps in the formation of gluten
which gives a baked item structure
• Provides moisture and tenderness to baked
goods.
USES OF MILK IN BAKING
• Enhances flavor
• Extends the shelf life of cake
• Boost crust color
Minor Ingredients in
Baking
• Flavoring
• Vanilla
• Salt
• Spices (cloves, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg)
• Wines
• Coffee
• Chocolate and cocoa