baking ingredients

• Flour - is the primary ingredient of most baked products because it provides the structure of the product. The kind of flour that is commonly used in baking comes from the wheat grain. Flour is mos starch but the protein content (7 to 14%) is important because it determines the formation of gluten. Gluten determines the shape an texture of the product. Strong flours come from hard wheat and hav high protein content (whole wheat and bread flours).
• Liquids - Liquid ingredients are important for hydrating protein, starch and leavening agents. Liquids contribute to the moistness and texture of the products.
• Fat - These may come from animal or vegetable fats. It can also be in liquid or solid form. Fats generally help to tenderize the product and soften the structure, add moistness and richness, increase keeping quality, add flavor, assist in leavening when used as creaming agents.
• Sugar - or sweeteners have differing degrees of sweetness and come in various forms from powder to crystals to syrups. They generally add sweetness and flavor, create tenderness and fineness of texture (partly by weakening the gluten structure), give color to the crust, increase keeping quality (by retaining moisture), act as creaming agent with fats, and provide food for yeast.
• Leavening agents - are responsible for the production and incorporation of gases during the baking process. This is what makes baked products rise. There are different kinds of leavening agents. Yeast is a biological leavening agent because it is a microscopic plant that produces carbon dioxide gas and alcohol in the process called fermentation.
• Eggs - eggs perform many functions in the production of baked products. They come in various sizes (small, medium, large, extra large) and kinds (chicken egg, duck egg, native egg).
• Salt and other flavorings - Salt enhances the flavors and sweetness of other ingredients. Salt slows down yeast fermentatio and strengthens gluten structure making it more stretchable (Lauterbach and Albrecht, 1994). Other flavorings include vanilla spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.) and flavor extracts (Banar essence, pandan flavoring, lemon extract).