Introduction to Baking

• Baking


  A method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones
• Bread


  The most common baked item
• History of Baking


  1. Early Beginnings and Discovery of Fire (Prehistoric Era)

  2. Ancient Civilizations (3000 BCE - 500 CE)

  3. Middle Ages (500 - 1500 CE)

  4. Renaissance and Industrial Revolution (16th - 18th Century)

  5. 19th Century

  6. 20th Century

  7. Contemporary Baking (21st Century)
• Common Baking Ingredients


  • Flour
  • Leavening Agents
  • Sugar
  • Fats
  • Eggs
  • Dairy Products
  • Liquid
  • Flavorings
  • Salt
  • Add ins

  
• Flour


  A fundamental ingredient in most baked goods, it provides structure and texture

  
• Yeast


  Responsible for leavening dough and causing it to rise by producing carbon dioxide gas through the fermentation of sugars
• Baking powder


  A leavening agent commonly used in baking to help baked goods rise and become light and fluffy, it's a mixture of an acid (usually cream of tartar) and a base (usually baking soda) along with a starch to prevent them from reacting prematurely
• Baking soda


  A chemical leavening agent commonly used in baking to help baked goods rise, it reacts with acidic ingredients in a recipe to produce carbon dioxide gas, which causes the dough or batter to expand and become light and fluffy
• Leavening Agents


  Substances that help baked goods rise, they create air pockets in the dough or batter, resulting in a lighter texture
• Sugar


  Adds sweetness to baked goods and helps with browning and caramelization, types include granulated sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
• Fats


  Contribute moisture, tenderness, and flavor to baked goods, common fats used in baking include butter, margarine, oil, and shortening
• Eggs


  Provide structure, moisture, and richness to baked goods, they can act as emulsifiers, helping to bind ingredients together
• Commonly used dairy products in baking

  • Milk
  • Buttermilk
  • Yogurt
  • Cream
• Liquid


  Apart from dairy, other liquids like water or fruit juices can be used to hydrate the dough or batter
• Flavorings


  Include extracts (such as vanilla, almond, and lemon), spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.), and zest, these ingredients enhance the taste of baked goods
• Salt


  Enhances the flavor of baked goods and helps to balance sweetness
• Add-ins


  Can include a variety of ingredients such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, chocolate chips, and more, these ingredients add texture, flavor, and visual appeal
• Bread


  Typically made from flour, water, yeast (or another leavening agent), and salt, some bread recipes might include additional ingredients like sugar, fats, and flavorings

  
• Pastry


  Pastry dough usually contains flour, fat (such as butter or lard), water, and sometimes a small amount of salt, sugar can also be added in some pastry recipes, depending on the desired outcome

  
• Bread


  • Has a more substantial, chewy texture due to the gluten development during kneading, it has an open crumb structure and a crusty exterior

  
• Pastry


  • Depending on the type, can have a tender, flaky, or crumbly texture, the layering of fat and dough in pastries creates a light and delicate result

  
• Bread preparation


  Dough is often kneaded to develop gluten and create a chewy texture, it undergoes a process of fermentation, during which yeast produces carbon dioxide, causing the dough to rise, the risen dough is then shaped, proofed, and baked at a relatively high temperature

  
• Pastry preparation


  Pastry dough is handled differently, it is typically worked minimally to avoid developing gluten, the fat is usually incorporated into the flour to create a flaky texture, pastry dough can be used to make various types of baked goods, including pies, tarts, croissants, and puff pastries

  
• Bread uses


  Bread is often used as a staple food for sandwiches, to accompany meals, or to be eaten on its own, it comes in various forms such as loaves, rolls, baguettes
• Pastry uses


  Pastries are versatile and can be used for both sweet and savory dishes, they are commonly used for making pies, tarts, quiches, pastries filled with meat or vegetables, and sweet treats like croissants, Danishes, and turnovers

  
• Bread leavening


  Bread is typically leavened with yeast, which ferments the dough and produces carbon dioxide gas, causing the dough to rise

  
• Pastry leavening


  Most pastries rely on the steam generated by the moisture in the fat during baking for their rise, resulting in a flaky texture, however, some pastries, like puff pastry, involve layers of dough and fat that rise due to the steam and create a delicate, airy texture
• Types of FLOUR

  1.) All-Purpose Flour

  2.) Cake Flour

  3.) Bread Flour

  4.)Whole Wheat Flour

  5.) Pastry Flour

  6.) Self-Rising Flour

  7.) Almond Flour

  8.) Coconut Flour

  9.) Rye Flour

  10.) Spelt Flour

  11.)Gluten-Free Flour Blends

  12.) Cornmeal

  13.)Tapioca Flour/Starch

  14.) Chickpea Flour (Besan)
• Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig .
• Yeasts are eukaryotic , single celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom .
• Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods.
• Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates , many of which are used in food.
• Leavening agent or raising agent, also called a leaven or leavener, is any one of a number of substances used in batters and doughs that cause a foaming action (gas bubbles) that lightens and softens the mixture. Can be the ff: Yeast , Egg and Baking Powder/Soda
• LOAVES is a (usually) rounded or oblong mass of food, typically and originally of bread bake bread in a rectangular bread pan . It is common to or loaf pan because some kinds of bread dough tend to collapse and spread out during the cooking process if not constrained.
• ROLL is a small, usually round or oblong individual loaf of bread plain or with butter).
• Baguettes is a long, thin type of bread of French origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, though not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust .
• PIEis a baked various sweet dish which is usually made of a pastry or savory ingredients
• TARTS is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry.
• Quiche of cheese is a French , meat tart , seafood consisting of pastry crust or vegetables .
• Croissant filled with savoury custard and pieces is a buttery, flaky, viennoiserie pastry inspired by the shape of the Austrian kipferl but using the French yeast-leavened laminated dough