Baking Essentials for Optimal Results

1. Bakery Food Production

2. Types of Flours • Bread flour – high in gluten/protein – that when kneaded becomes elastic and stretchy • Cake/Pastry flour – low in gluten • All purpose – falls between pastry and bread flour • Non-Wheat – from other plants like corn, barley, oats, etc… • Function: Provide Structure

3. Sugar, Fat, Leavening, Salt • Sugars, honey, syrup – flavor, tenderness, color • Fat- butter, shortening, oil – flavor, freshness, moisture • Rancid – when fat goes bad • Leavening – make baked goods rise • Organic – Cake Yeast, Active Dry Yeast, Instant Yeast • Chemical – Baking soda (needs acid) Baking Powder (has dry acid, just add liquid) • Physical – Eggs, Steam • Salt – gives flavor, slows yeast • Liquid – water, milk, cream, eggs, honey, butter – adds moisture, develops gluten, activates leavening, flavor

4. Leaveners • Cake Yeast – Solid • Active Yeast – Dissolve in liquid • Instant Rise – Can mix in with dry ingredients • Starter - A mixture of water, yeast and flour that has been fermented until it has a sour smell. Sourdough Bread. • Baking Soda – Needs acid • Baking Powder – Needs liquid • Eggs – air trapped in protein expands • Steam – Expands when hot

5. Eggs • Eggs – • Structure: protein • Emulsification: blends ingredients • Leavening: air that expands when heated • Flavor, Color • Shell eggs– flats that hold 30 eggs

6. Types of Dough • Lean dough – flour, water, yeast, salt – little or no sugar or fat. French Bread and Hard Rolls are examples. • Rich dough – fat, sugar, eggs, milk, etc… Richer texture. Rolls and cinnamon rolls are examples. • Rolled in Dough (Laminated) – rich dough with layers of fat folded and rolled in. Croissants and Danish Pastries are examples.

7. Straight-Dough Method • All ingredients at once – yeast and water first, then remaining ingredients.

8. Modified Straight Dough Method • Dissolve the yeast in water, add fat, sugar, salt, milk and flavorings. Add eggs, Add flour, mix well.

9. Sponge Method • Mix all the yeast, ½ the liquid and ½ the flour. Let rise until double. Add remaining ingredients. • Makes a lighter texture and more unique flavor

10. Purpose of Kneading • Develops gluten – makes dough stretch – creates proper texture.

11. Proofing • Once the dough is in the pan – it proof or rises a second time. This should be at 95-115 degrees. Should double in size before baking.

12. Packaging and Storing Breads • Let cool completely • Best if used within one day in a food service operation • If keeping for more than one day, wrap tightly and freeze

13. Pies & Pastries • 3-2-1 – 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat, 1 part water • Vegetable shortening is best because of high melting point • Overhanding creates a tough crust – don’t work the gluten!!! • Baking Blind: preparing a pre-baked pie shell. Why would you do that? Successful blind baking – dock the bottom with a fork, cover with parchment and use weights to hold down the bottom (baking weights, dry rice or beans)

14. Pie Fillings • Cream Pie: Filled with pastry cream, pudding or mousse. • Examples: coconut, chocolate silk, banana • Storage: refrigeration, do not freeze • Custard: Filling made with eggs. • Examples: pumpkin, pecan • Storage: shelf, can be frozen • Chiffon: Fruit or cream pie stabilized with gelatin and meringue folded in. • Examples pumpkin, lemon • Storage: refrigeration • Fruit: Filling is fruit thickened and cooled. • Examples: apple, cherry, berry, peach • Storage: shelf, can be frozen

15. Different types of cakes

16. Cake mixing methods • Creaming – High Fat – Cream fat, sugar and salt first • Blending – High Fat – Dry ingredients, fat, half the liquid, then other half of liquid • Sponge – Whole eggs, dry ingredients, then cooled melted butter • Angel Food – Egg Whites, dry ingredients, cool upside down • Chiffon – Egg Yolks and sugar are whipped, then flour, egg whites and sugar, cool upside down • Storage: Wrapped air-tight and store in refrigerator, can be frozen.

17. Types of Icing/Frosting • Buttercream – sugar & fat (butter is best – shortening has a greasy mouth feel) examples: Simple, Italian, Cream Cheese • Foam – boiled icing, made with hot sugar syrup • Fondant – sugar, water and glucose, smooth – poured or rolled • Fudge – cocoa, sugar, butter and milk or water, use while warm (Texas Sheet Cake) • Ganache – chocolate and cream • Glaze – corn syrup, fruit, chocolate, really thin, usually poured, can use heated jam, looks shiney • Royal – Dries brittle, sugar and egg whites – gingerbread houses

18. Why Icing? • Improve qualities by protecting the cake • Contribute flavor and richness • Improve appearance

19. Icing/Frosting Storage • Air tight container and put in the refrigerator.

20. Other Pastry Doughs • Puff Pastry – Danish – many layers • Phyllo – super thin dough – layered when used with butter- baklava • Pate a choux – cream puffs and eclairs