BIG DIAMOND TRADING

Baking powder is probably the most common aerating agent in baked products like cakes. It is made up of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar. Baking powder is a chemical aeration agent.

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Eggs are another basic ingredient in many baked products. They provide structure, aeration, flavour and moisture. They also tenderise cakes and add colour and nutritive value.

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Fats and oils Generally, fats are solid while oils are liquid. Fats come from a variety of animals and plants. Oils mostly come from plants. In baking, butter, margarine, shortening and oils are commonly used. Their main functions are to shorten or tenderise the product, to trap air during creaming and so aerate the cake during baking to give good volume and texture, to assist with layering in puff pastry, to help prevent curdling by forming an emulsion, and to add flavour.  They also provide some nutritive value. It is important to add the correct amount of fat as too much far will make the baked product greasy and unpleasant to eat, while too little fat will leave you with a product that lacks flavour and stales quickly.

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 Flour is the ingredient on which most baked products are based. Flour is made up of starch, protein, sugar and minerals. The protein content decides what the end use of the flour will be.

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Milk is used in baked products to improve texture and mouthfeel. The protein in milk also gives a soft crumb structure in cakes, and contributes to the moisture, colour and flavour of a baked product. Cakes that contain milk also tend to have a longer shelf life.

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Salt is usually only added in very small amounts to baked products, but it has a noticeable effect on the flavour of baked products. It not only provides its own flavour but brings out the natural flavour of other ingredients. In bread doughs, salt strengthens gluten and improves the consistency of the dough. Carbon dioxide given off by the yeast is more easily trapped by the strengthened gluten, which makes a better loaf of bread. Salt is also a good preservative as it absorbs water so there is less free water for bacterial and fungal growth.

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Sugar gives cakes and other baked products sweetness and is used in many forms and many ways. In yeast raised products, sugar acts as food for the yeast. In cakes, sugar assists with the aeration and stabilising of batters. Sugars improve the crust colour of baked products, improve flavour and help to retain moisture, keeping products softer for longer and so reducing staling. Examples of sugar forms are granulated sugar, castor sugar and icing sugar. Sugar also comes in liquid forms such as syrup, treacle, corn syrup, honey and caramel.

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Yeast belongs to the fungi family. It ferments carbohydrates (sugars) to produce carbon dioxide gases and alcohol, which aerate bread and other yeasted products, giving it volume and texture. These by-products of yeast also contribute to the colour and aroma of bread and other yeasted products.

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FLOUR TYPES

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It is very important to use the right kind of flour when baking as each has a specific purpose. Flour should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It is best not to mix old and new flour, and to buy only the amount of flour you will use within two or three months. If you wish to keep it for a longer period, it is best to store it in a freezer.

Chlorinated or high ratio flour, also known as Hong King flour, is special cake flour that is able to hold large amounts of liquid. This gives the cake produced a very soft crumb and a light, moist, fine texture.  They are also sweeter, have greater volume and a longer shelf life than cakes made with standard flour.

High grade or “strong” flour. Also called Baker’s Flour is made from semi-hard wheat and has a medium to high protein content. It is used for making bread.

Pastry flour has a high protein content and should be very white and free of any bran particles to ensure a good pastry product.

Self-raising flour is made by combining flour with baking powder or a similar chemical aerating agent. These are sifted together many times until they are thoroughly combined and the baking powder is evenly distributed through the flour. This kind of flour is perfect for making pikelets and scones

Standard or plain flour, also called soft flour, is made from soft wheat varieties and has a low protein content. It is used for making cakes and biscuits as it gives the baked product a tender texture. Cake flour for traditional cakes should be very fine, white and clean. This enables it to hold more liquid.

Wholemeal flour contains all parts of the wheat grain. It is used in various baked products, including cakes, biscuits, slices, scones and muffins.

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BAKING & COOKING TERMS

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In baking there are many terms used in recipes for different cooking or mixing methods. Heres a list of some of the main terms you may come across when baking and an explanation of what they mean to help you with your baking techniques.

 

Boil    To cook until liquid is so hot it forms bubbles

Broil   To cook directly under a heating element

Chill   To place in the refrigerator to lower a food's temperature

Chop  To cut into pieces with a sharp knife or chopper

Combine  To mix ingredients together

Cream  To beat until smooth, soft and fluffy

Cube  To cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Cut  To mix a solid fat into a flour mixture with a pastry blender, a fork or two knives

Dice  To cut food into 1/8-inch cubes

Dot  Drop bits of butter or cheese here and there over food

Drain  To pour off liquid

Flour  To coat greased pans or dishes with a fine coat of flour. Shake out extra flour

Fold  To mix gently by bringing rubber scraper down through mixture, across the bottom, up and over top until blended

Fry  To cook in hot fat

Garnish  To decorate a finished dish with colorful food to make it look pretty

Grate  Rub against a grater to cut into small shreds

Grease  To spread the bottom and/or sides of a pan with shortening to prevent sticking

Grill  To cook directly over a heating element or hot coals

Knead  To fold, turn, and press dough with heel of your hand in order to develop the gluten and make dough more elastic

Ladle  To dip and serve liquid with a ladle

Melt  To heat until it liquefies

Mince  To chop or cut into tiny pieces

Mix  To stir foods together

Panfry  To cook in fat in a skillet

Pare  To cut off the outside skin, as from an apple or potato

Peel  To pull off the outer skin, as from a banana or an orange

Pit  To take out the seeds

Roll  Flatten and spread with a rolling pin

Saute  To cook in small amount of fat in a skillet

Scald  To heat milk just below a boiling point. Tiny bubbles will form around the edge

Shred  To cut into very thin strips

Sift  To put dry ingredients like flour through a sifter or sieve

Simmer  To cook in liquid over low heat so bubbles form slowly

Stir  To mix round and round with a spoon

Toss  To mix lightly

Well  A hole made in dry ingredients in which you pour liquid

Whip  To beat with a rotary egg beater or electric mixer to add air

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