Quick Breads
Quick Breads…
 Flour mixtures with a fast-acting
leavening agent.
 Do not have as much sugar & flavoring
as cake or other desserts.
3 Types of Quick Breads…
 Pour Batter
 Ratio of flour to liquid is 1:1
 Examples: waffles, pancakes, popovers
 Uses: breakfast, brunch, snacks
 Drop Batter
 Ratio of flour to liquid is 2:1
 Examples: muffins, biscuits, coffee cake, fruit breads
 Uses: breakfast, brunch, dinner, desserts
 Soft Dough
 Ratio of flour to liquid is 3:1
 Examples: biscuits, doughnuts, scones, coffee cakes
 Uses: breakfast, brunch, dinner, dessert
Quick Bread Ingredients…
 Flour
 All-purpose is the one most commonly used
 When mixed with liquid, flour produces gluten protein
from 2 other proteins: gliadin & glutenin
 Cornmeal & whole wheat flour are also used
 Liquid
 Dissolves dry ingredients
 Adds flavor & causes browning (milk)
 Examples:
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Milk
Buttermilk
Dry/evaporated milk (reconstituted)
Water
Fruit Juice
Other Ingredients…
 Eggs
 Fat
 Types
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Oil
Vegetable Shortening
Butter
Margarine
Lard (pork fat)
 Functions:
 Tenderness
 Flavor
 Browning/appearance
 Bind ingredients as they
coagulate
 Color, texture, & nutrition
 Salt for flavor
 Sugar
 Browning
 Flavor
 Color
 Brown sugar
 Molasses
Leavening Agents
 4 Types of leavening agents in quick
breads
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Baking soda
Baking powder
Steam
Air (carbon dioxide)
Leavening Agents Cont.
 Chemical leavening agents
 An acid-base chemical reaction produces bubbles
 Double-acting & Fast-acting
 Bubbles start to form in the mixing bowl
 Slow-acting
 Bubbles form with the addition of heat (oven)
 Baking Powder
 Baking soda + an acid (cream of tartar) + cornstarch
 Steam and air leaven popovers & cream puffs
Nutrition…
 Quick Breads have…
 Carbohydrates (starch & sugar)
 Vitamins (TRIN)-Flour is enriched with these
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Thiamin
Riboflavin
Iron
Niacin
 Fruit
 Fiber (whole grain muffins)
Principles of Quick Bread
Preparation…
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2 main principles
1. Gluten formation
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Liquid + flour = gluten
Gluten forms mesh-like structure
surrounding leavening gasses
Gas expands  gluten stretches
Oven heat coagulates & sets the
gluten protein
2. Activation of leavening agent
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Chemical reaction of leavening agent
Methods of Preparation…
 Muffin Method
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Mix & sift dry ingredients
Mix/beat together liquid, eggs, fat/oil
Pour liquid into “well” in dry ingredients
Mix only enough to dampen dry ingredients
Do not overmix
 Biscuit Method
 Mix/sift dry ingredients
 “Cut-in” solid fat
 Pastry blender
 Crumble with fingers
 Grate in frozen butter
 Add liquid & toss and stir with a fork
 Knead for a short time
 Roll, cut, & bake
Characteristics of
Muffins…
 High Quality Muffins
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Thin, evenly-browned crust
Top is symmetrical, but it looks rough
Texture inside is uniform
Crumb is tender and light
 Poor Quality Muffins
 Overmixing
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Overproduced gluten = tough bread
Peaked top
Pale with a slick crust
Tunnels are visible inside muffin
 Undermixing = low volume, flat top
Characteristics of
Biscuits…
 High Quality Biscuits
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Even shape with a smooth & level top
Straight sides & an evenly browned crust
The interior is white to creamy-white
Crumb is moist & fluffy and peels off in layers
 Poor Quality Biscuits
 Overmixing
 Low volume and a rounded top
 Top is smooth
 Crumb is tough and compact
 Undermixing
 Low volume
 Rounded top with a slightly rough crust
 Tender crumb
Storage…
 1-2 days at room
temperature
 Freeze well
 Use a moisture-proof wrap