Quick Breads, Cakes and Cookies

1. Quick Breads, Cakes and Cookies - CS1(SS) FOSTER

2. Learning Objectives • Identify types of quick breads and their differences • Discuss different styles and methods of prep. for those quick breads (cookies, cakes, etc.)

3. What’s a quick bread? • Leavened chemically, via: • Baking Soda • Baking Powder (normal or double-acting) • Chemical leaveners react with acid (already present) and are activated by moisture and heat. • The leavening action happens rapidly (i.e. “quick” breads)

4. Cookies • Three types: drop, bar, and sliced • Drop: scaled with a scoop, leveled off and “dropped” onto sheet pan, i.e. chocolate chip. • Bar: batter is spread into a sheet pan and sliced while warm to produce a “bar”, i.e. brownies. • Sliced: dough rolled into a long, narrow bar and sliced into coins, i.e. sugar cookies.

5. Cookie Examples Chocolate Fudge Cookies DROP COOKIE Snickerdoodle Cookies SLICED COOKIES Chocolate Brownies BAR COOKIE

6. Cookie Mixing Methods • Creaming Method: cream fat and sugar in a mixing bowl, add eggs gradually. Add sifted dry ingredients in stages. Fold in extras (i.e. choc. chips). • Dump Method: add ingredients to bowl all at once in the ORDER LISTED on the recipe, mix.

7. Baking Cookies • Ideally in a convection oven, bakes evenly. • Follow baking instructions (i.e. oven temp.) on recipe, pre-heat oven before baking. • Line sheet pans with parchment paper (or grease lightly if not available). • Space drop and sliced cookies due to the spread during baking. • Remove from sheet pans to cool (to prevent over-spreading).

8. Cakes • There are many different types of cakes which vary based on their ingredients and methods of preparation. • Examples are: German Chocolate, Coconut Cake, Baked Alaska. • Styles based on MOP are: sheet cakes, layer cakes round cakes, cupcakes, etc.

9. Cake Examples Coconut Cake CREAMING METHOD Pumpkin Roll FOAM METHOD Red Velvet Cake CREAMING METHOD

10. Cake Mixing Methods • Creaming Method: cream fat and sugar in a mixing bowl, add eggs gradually. Add sifted dry ingredients in stages. • Foaming Method: Sift dry ingredients prior to whipping eggs. Whip eggs and sugar until a stiff foam forms (ribbons). Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Take care not to deflate the aerated mixture.

11. Baking Cakes • Grease and flour pans, line with parchment (ideally). • Scale and pour batter, level with pastry knife. (do not pound on table!) • Pre-heat oven to temp. on recipe, bake. • Check via temp. or “toothpick” test: insert a knife or toothpick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done baking.

12. Assorted Quick Breads • Other quick breads include: waffles, pancakes, muffins, biscuits, etc. • The only special mixing method that has not already been covered is the rubbing method used for biscuits. • This method involves sifting the dry ingredients then rubbing in the soft fat until crumbly. Then water is added and it is mixed until just formed. Gluten is not desired.

13. Asst. Quick Breads (cont’d) • The methods of preparation vary widely. It is very important to follow the recipe’s instructions when preparing. • The end product’s quality can vary wildly if the MOP and especially the mixing method is not done correctly.

14. Questions?

15. Review ?’s • What are the 3 types of cookies? - Sliced, Bar and Drop • What are the 2 mixing methods for cookies? - Creaming Method and Dump Method • What is a “quick” bread? - A dough or batter for a pastry, bread or dessert that is leavened chemically • What activates chemical leaveners? - Moisture and Heat.

16. Review ?’s • Give 3 examples of quick breads… - Pancakes, Waffles, Biscuits, Muffins, Cakes, Cookies, etc. • What are the 2 mixing methods for cakes? - Creaming Method and Foam Method

17. Questions?