Baking Powder
Baking Powder
Baking Powder (pronunciation: /ˈbeɪkɪŋ ˈpaʊdər/) is a dry chemical leavening agent, a mixture of a carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid. The base and acid are prevented from reacting prematurely by the inclusion of a buffer such as cornstarch. Baking powder is used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods.
Etymology
The term "Baking Powder" was first used in the mid-19th century. The word "baking" comes from the Old English 'bæcian', meaning 'to bake', and "powder" comes from the Old French 'poudre', meaning 'to powder'.
Usage
Baking powder works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid-base reaction, causing bubbles in the wet mixture to expand and thus leavening the mixture. It is used instead of yeast for end-products where fermentation flavors would be undesirable or where the batter lacks the elastic structure to hold gas bubbles for more than a few minutes.
Related Terms
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, and needs to be paired with an acid in recipes to make it work as a leavening agent.
- Yeast: Yeast is a type of fungus used for fermenting sugars to alcohol in brewing and for making dough rise in baking.
- Leavening Agent: A leavening agent is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action that lightens and softens the mixture.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Baking Powder
- Wikipedia's article - Baking Powder
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