Chemical leavening agents, baking soda - types, functions, application, storage

[CHEMICAL OPENING AGENTS]

CHEMICAL OPENING AGENTS

Chemical gassing occurs when chemical leavening agents are destroyed by moisture and heat. Before describing chemical leavening agents, a definition of proofing stability must be given. Proof stability is a measure that determines how well the dough withstands (tolerates) a delay before baking without losing loosening gases. Proof stability is an important property for commercial bakeries where consistency in product preparation is required. With a large volume of production, the dough stands for some time on the table before baking.
The most common chemical leavening agent is baking soda with one or more acids. However, food grade ammonia is more commonly used in Europe and North America.

[Baking soda + acid]

Baking soda + acid

Baking soda is another name for sodium bicarbonate. Like baking soda ammonia, baking soda breaks down into loosening gases when exposed to moisture and heat. However, baking soda itself is practically not a baking powder because a very large amount is needed to produce a sufficient volume of baking powder. Large amounts of soda give the product a yellow or green color and a strong chemical flavor.
Baking soda is used for disintegration in combination with one or more acids. Acids react with soda when exposed to moisture. Thus, baking soda quickly breaks down into carbon dioxide and water.
Acid requires less baking soda to produce carbon dioxide and less change in taste and color. Any acid can be used with baking soda.
Below are the common acids used with soda. Each of them reacts differently and produces its own salt precipitate.
Buttermilk
Yogurt
Sour cream
Fruit and fruit juices
Vinegar
Most syrups, including molasses and honey
Yellow sugar
Bitter chocolate and natural cocoa.

When too much baking soda is added to the product, the unreacted baking soda and the remaining salt precipitate will affect the flavor change.
There are several disadvantages to using the ingredients listed above. One is that the ingredients can vary in acid content. For example, buttermilk, sour cream, and yogurt increase acidity over time. Another disadvantage: These ingredients tend to react with baking soda almost immediately. When this happens, the dough gets poor proofing stability and must be baked immediately after kneading.

[Ammonium carbonate]

Ammonium carbonate

Ammonium carbonate is a large white lumps of crystals or a crystalline fine powder with a pungent smell of ammonia. Before use, ammonium carbonate must be crushed by grinding in a mortar or grater, and sieved through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. You can also dissolve it in cold water (for a teaspoon of ammonium 3 tablespoons of water) and add to the liquid when kneading the dough.
When heated while baking dough, ammonium carbonate releases ammonia and carbon dioxide, which loosen the dough.
Store ammonium carbonate in tightly closed glass jars.
Cookies made with ammonium carbonate turn out to be more porous, without a specific taste. However, in appearance (color) it is inferior to biscuits cooked in soda.
Therefore, it is recommended to use a mixture of ammonium (40% of the total weight of the mixture) and soda (60%).

[Baking powder.]

Baking powder.

There are several different types of loosening powders. They all contain baking soda, one or more acids (as acid salts), and dry starch or other filler. Acid salts release acid when dissolved in water. For example, tartar is an acidic salt (potassium acid tartrate). When tartar dissolves in the dough and tartaric acid is released, it reacts with baking soda and produces carbon dioxide to loosen. Acid salts are often referred to simply as acids for simplicity.
All loosening powders release the same minimum amount of carbon dioxide: normally 12 percent by weight of the loosening powder. This means that most powders are more or less interchangeable (as long as they are fresh). But although they are interchangeable, this does not mean that they are identical. To describe loosening powders and their differences, it will be helpful to categorize them.
Once upon a time it was possible to classify powders by action: one- or two-sided action. Today all powders sold are double acting. It is better to separate loosening powders according to the degree of their reaction. Another way is according to the type of acid they contain.

Bakery powder (buckpulver) - loosening agent for pastry dough. It is a mixture of various leavening agents. Its main components are soda, ammonium carbonate and cremortartar. So that they do not fizzle out and do not interact with each other, a neutral component is introduced into the powder - flour (usually rice) or powdered sugar. Many manufacturers keep the recipe for their product in secret, without indicating the exact composition on the package. But the following rule is almost always true: for 100 g of flour, you need to take 4 g of baking powder (about a third of a teaspoon).

Homemade baking powder can be made at home by mixing 5 g of baking soda, 3 g of citric acid and 12 g of flour. This amount of powder (20 g) is calculated for 500 g of flour. The addition of powder gives the dough a light, porous appearance, since it loosens it. Dry powder should be mixed with flour and only after that knead the dough. Diluted in milk or water, it loses its qualities.
It is believed that confectionery with its addition is of much better quality than "soda" baked goods: the color of the dough turns out to be even, but the taste of soda is not felt at all.

[Functions of chemical leavening agents]

Functions of chemical leavening agents

Chemical leavening agents such as ammonium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) impart the following properties to baked goods.

- contribute to raising the dough. With chemical leavening agents, raising of the dough occurs when gases are formed during the disintegration of the leavening agents and when these gases begin to spread.

- soften. When the dough is raised, when gases form and spread, the cell walls in the baked product stretch and become thinner. This makes the baked goods easier to eat as they are soft.

- normalize the pH level. Many doughs are near neutral pH if no chemical leavening agents (such as baking soda) are added.
Tartar (acid) lowers the pH level, while ammonium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (both alkalis) increase. Fast acting leavening agents, that is, those that quickly release carbon dioxide, lower the pH in the dough, while slow acting leavening agents can raise it. Changing the pH level affects many processes in the baked product, including the formation of color, texture, flavor and strong gluten.

- contribute to the formation of structure. Remember that whipping, sifting, mixing are all the physical processes required to form small air cells in the dough. Chemical leavening agents, which release carbon dioxide when mixed, also aid in the formation of air cells. Air cells are necessary to form the structure of the product, and the more there are, the better the structure of the dough will be.The addition of carbon dioxide to the dough makes it less dense and easier to mix.
Air cells also thicken the dough, slowing down the movement of liquids in it.

- promotes the formation of taste. A small amount of baking powder and baking soda added to the dough gives it a pronounced sour-salty taste, which is typical for, for example, soda biscuits or barley (or wheat) cakes. Too much baking soda creates an unpleasant chemical aftertaste.

[Storage and use]

Storage and use

All chemical leavening agents should be stored in a tightly closed container at room temperature. Even so, their shelf life should not exceed one year. Unpackaged baking powder readily absorb moisture, which leads to a loss of their properties and a shortened shelf life. In addition, unpackaged leavening agents absorb various odors.

And where can you buy food grade ammonium at retail? Has anyone applied it in practice, what are the impressions?

[Vei]

Vei, Lisa, we sell ammonium from Dr. Etker, this is how it looks

I was looking for a picture and found such a baking powder, I have not seen this in Ukraine

I saw only baking powder with saffron, I have it. But Etker has never met ammonia, however, like anyone else. Have you tried it at least once in baking?

Greetings. Tell me what can be used to replace chemical leavening agents, what natural ones are there?

If only these "Yeasts and starter cultures at home" https://Mcooker-enn.tomathouse.com/index.php@option=com_smf&topic=142375.new.html#top

And you also need to know what exactly will be baked, for what purposes baking powder is used.

I bought a chemical baking powder (e 450a, e 5006). And the bookmark is not specified. How many to apply, can you tell me?

I bought a chemical baking powder (e 450a, e 5006). And the bookmark is not specified. How many to apply, can you tell me?

Read here: Loosening powders https://Mcooker-enn.tomathouse.com/index.php@option=com_smf&topic=102471.0
"But the following rule is almost always true: for 100 g of flour, you need to take 4 g of baking powder (about a third of a teaspoon)"

We read carefully the information on the packaging of the baking powder: the name, which one, for what, how much to take, how to apply - as a rule, such information is available on the packaging
And pay attention to the recommendations of the tab in the recipe and the recommendations of the authors of the recipes.

I beg you pardon! I was looking for information on the back of the bag, but it turns out that it is indicated on the face (and I did not notice the elephant (c)).

I read somewhere that soda can be extinguished with boiling water, what can you say about this?

[bysinka :)]

bysinka :), my grandmother always extinguishes it this way, I don't know how everything happens, but it works.

At the forum I met information that the soda that is used in Germany is many times better))) how does it look, does anyone know?

[shurpanita]

shurpanita, I know
I bought it once, but did not notice the difference. Therefore, at home soda from a Russian store.