Contents
Why add baking powder to the dough; how much baking powder to add to the dough
Most baking recipes include a baking powder in the ingredient list. To make the baking tender and airy, it is worth figuring out why baking powder is added to the dough and how it can be replaced.
Why add baking powder to the dough
The dough will never turn out fluffy and loose without yeast or baking soda added to it. The baking powder also copes with the same task, but what is it?
What baking powder is made of, and when to add it to the dough
If you examine the packaging with the composition, it will become clear that the baking powder is the same soda with the addition of citric acid and flour, sometimes starch is added. The beauty of this ready-made component is that all components are selected in optimal proportions. The acid reacts with alkali to give off carbon dioxide.
This happens strictly at the right time, which is difficult to achieve if you put the soda on your own.
When to add baking powder to dough? Usually in recipes this moment is paid little attention, nevertheless it is very important. If you make a mistake, the reaction will start too soon or too late, and the desired effect will not be achieved.
If we are talking about a liquid dough, then you can loosen it at the very end, when it is ready. All ingredients will have time to dissolve and begin to interact actively when they get into the oven or pan.
To distribute the baking powder evenly in the hard dough, put it in flour and mix thoroughly, and then combine it with the rest of the ingredients.
It is not always clear how much baking powder to add to the dough when baking soda appears in the recipe. In order not to be mistaken, you can remember a simple ratio: one teaspoon of baking soda is equal to three tablespoons of baking powder. You can also take into account that 400 grams of flour takes about 10 grams of powder.
It is important to consider that baking powder does not always successfully replace regular soda. For example, if honey is used in baked goods, it will have to be discarded.
How to add baking powder to dough? You need to gradually add the powder, stirring the dough, until it is evenly distributed.
What to add to the dough instead of baking powder
Since the composition of the baking powder for the dough is extremely simple, you can prepare it yourself. To do this, you need soda, citric acid and flour, which are mixed in a ratio of 5: 3: 12. Without the addition of liquid, the soda and acid crystals will not interact, so homemade baking powder can be made a lot and stored in a tightly sealed container.
If soda is used to make the dough loose, then it must be quenched with vinegar or combined with any acidic products: kefir, sour cream, lemon juice.