In cooking, a leavening agent (/ˈlɛvənɪŋ/) or raising agent, also called a leaven (/ˈlɛvən/) or leavener, is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action (gas bubbles) that lightens and softens the mixture. An alternative or supplement to leavening agents is mechanical action by which air is incorporated (i.e. kneading). Leavening agents can be biological or synthetic chemical compounds. The gas produced is often carbon dioxide, or occasionally hydrogen.[1]
Chemical leavens are mixtures or compounds that release gases when they react with each other, with moisture, or with heat. Most are based on a combination of acid (usually a low molecular weight organic acid) and a salt of bicarbonate(HCO3−). After they act, these compounds leave behind a chemical salt. Chemical leavens are used in quick breads and cakes, as well as cookies and numerous other applications where a long biological fermentation is impractical or undesirable.
Since chemical expertise is required to create a functional chemical leaven without producing off-flavors from the chemical precursors involved, such substances are often mixed into premeasured combinations for maximum results. These are generally referred to as baking powders. Sour milk and carbonates were used in the 1800s. The breakthrough in chemical leavening agents occurred in the 1930s with the introduction of monocalcium phosphates(Ca(H2PO4)2). Other leavening agents developed include sodium aluminium sulfate(NaAl(SO4)2·12H2O), disodium pyrophosphate(Na2H2P2O7), and sodium aluminium phosphates(NaH14Al3(PO4)8·4H2O and Na3H15Al2(PO4)8). These compounds combine with sodium bicarbonate to give carbon dioxide in a predictable manner.[5]
Other leavensedit
Steam and air are used as leavening agents when they expand upon heating.[6] To take advantage of this style of leavening, the baking must be done at high enough temperatures to flash the water to steam, with a batter that is capable of holding the steam in until set. This effect is typically used in popovers, in Yorkshire puddings, and, to a lesser extent, in tempura.
Creaming is the process of beating sugar crystals and solid fat (typically butter) together in a mixer.[7] This integrates tiny air bubbles into the mixture, since the sugar crystals physically cut through the structure of the fat. Creamed mixtures are usually further leavened by a chemical leaven like baking soda.[8] This is often used in cookies.
Using a whisk on certain liquids, notably cream or egg whites, can also create foams through mechanical action. This is the method employed in the making of sponge cakes, where an egg protein matrix produced by vigorous whipping provides almost all the structure of the finished product.
The Chorleywood bread process uses a mix of biological and mechanical leavening to produce bread; while it is considered by food processors[who?] to be an effective way to deal with the soft wheat flours characteristic of British Isles agriculture, it is controversial[according to whom?] due to a perceived lack of quality in the final product. The process has nevertheless been adapted by industrial bakers in other parts of the world.
^Jacobs, Morris Boris (1951). The Chemistry and Technology of Food and Food Products. Hoboken, NJ: Interscience Publishers. p. 1932.
^Hanft, Steven L. (2016). Fachenglisch für Laborberufe. Weinheim: John Wiley & Sons. p. 208. ISBN978-3-527-33512-1.
^Simmons, Amelia; Mary Tolford Wilson (1984) [1958]. The First American Cookbook (1984 reprint ed.). Mineola, NY: Dover. ISBN0-486-24710-4.
^Smith, Andrew F. (2007-05-01). The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-988576-3.
^John Brodie, John Godber "Bakery Processes, Chemical Leavening Agents" in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 2001, John Wiley & Sons. doi:10.1002/0471238961.0308051303082114.a01.pub2
^Ensminger, Marion Eugene; Ensminger, Audrey H. (1993). Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia, Two Volume Set. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. p. 249. ISBN0-8493-8980-1.
^Bittman, Mark (2016). How To Bake Everything: Simple Recipes for the Best Baking. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 55. ISBN978-0-544-79886-1.
^Ruhlman, Michael (2009-04-07). Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking. Simon and Schuster. ISBN978-1-4165-6612-0.
Further readingedit
Matz, S (1972). "Bakery Technology and Engineering", AVI Publishing Co.
Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Leavening agent
November 24, 2023
leavening, agent, village, leavening, north, yorkshire, broader, coverage, this, topic, bread, leavening, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material. For the village see Leavening North Yorkshire For broader coverage of this topic see Bread leavening This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Leavening agent news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message In cooking a leavening agent ˈ l ɛ v en ɪ ŋ or raising agent also called a leaven ˈ l ɛ v en or leavener is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action gas bubbles that lightens and softens the mixture An alternative or supplement to leavening agents is mechanical action by which air is incorporated i e kneading Leavening agents can be biological or synthetic chemical compounds The gas produced is often carbon dioxide or occasionally hydrogen 1 When a dough or batter is mixed the starch in the flour and the water in the dough form a matrix 2 often supported further by proteins like gluten or polysaccharides such as pentosans or xanthan gum The starch then gelatinizes and sets leaving gas bubbles that remain Contents 1 Biological leavening agents 2 Chemical leavening agents 2 1 History 3 Other leavens 4 Mechanical leavening 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksBiological leavening agents editSaccharomyces cerevisiae producing carbon dioxide found in baker s yeast Beer barm unpasteurised live yeast ginger beer kefir sourdough starter Clostridium perfringens producing hydrogen found in salt rising breadChemical leavening agents editChemical leavens are mixtures or compounds that release gases when they react with each other with moisture or with heat Most are based on a combination of acid usually a low molecular weight organic acid and a salt of bicarbonate HCO3 After they act these compounds leave behind a chemical salt Chemical leavens are used in quick breads and cakes as well as cookies and numerous other applications where a long biological fermentation is impractical or undesirable History edit Chemical leavening using pearl ash as a leavening agent was mentioned by Amelia Simmons in her American Cookery 3 published in 1796 4 Since chemical expertise is required to create a functional chemical leaven without producing off flavors from the chemical precursors involved such substances are often mixed into premeasured combinations for maximum results These are generally referred to as baking powders Sour milk and carbonates were used in the 1800s The breakthrough in chemical leavening agents occurred in the 1930s with the introduction of monocalcium phosphates Ca H2PO4 2 Other leavening agents developed include sodium aluminium sulfate NaAl SO4 2 12H2O disodium pyrophosphate Na2H2P2O7 and sodium aluminium phosphates NaH14Al3 PO4 8 4H2O and Na3H15Al2 PO4 8 These compounds combine with sodium bicarbonate to give carbon dioxide in a predictable manner 5 Other leavens editSteam and air are used as leavening agents when they expand upon heating 6 To take advantage of this style of leavening the baking must be done at high enough temperatures to flash the water to steam with a batter that is capable of holding the steam in until set This effect is typically used in popovers in Yorkshire puddings and to a lesser extent in tempura Mechanical leavening editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed February 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Creaming is the process of beating sugar crystals and solid fat typically butter together in a mixer 7 This integrates tiny air bubbles into the mixture since the sugar crystals physically cut through the structure of the fat Creamed mixtures are usually further leavened by a chemical leaven like baking soda 8 This is often used in cookies Using a whisk on certain liquids notably cream or egg whites can also create foams through mechanical action This is the method employed in the making of sponge cakes where an egg protein matrix produced by vigorous whipping provides almost all the structure of the finished product The Chorleywood bread process uses a mix of biological and mechanical leavening to produce bread while it is considered by food processors who to be an effective way to deal with the soft wheat flours characteristic of British Isles agriculture it is controversial according to whom due to a perceived lack of quality in the final product The process has nevertheless been adapted by industrial bakers in other parts of the world See also edit nbsp Food portalAerated Bread Company bakeries started in 1862 in the UK that made carbon dioxide leavened bread Baking powder Chametz Parable of the Leaven Passover Unleavened breadReferences edit Jacobs Morris Boris 1951 The Chemistry and Technology of Food and Food Products Hoboken NJ Interscience Publishers p 1932 Hanft Steven L 2016 Fachenglisch fur Laborberufe Weinheim John Wiley amp Sons p 208 ISBN 978 3 527 33512 1 Simmons Amelia Mary Tolford Wilson 1984 1958 The First American Cookbook 1984 reprint ed Mineola NY Dover ISBN 0 486 24710 4 Smith Andrew F 2007 05 01 The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 988576 3 John Brodie John Godber Bakery Processes Chemical Leavening Agents in Kirk Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 2001 John Wiley amp Sons doi 10 1002 0471238961 0308051303082114 a01 pub2 Ensminger Marion Eugene Ensminger Audrey H 1993 Foods amp Nutrition Encyclopedia Two Volume Set Boca Raton FL CRC Press p 249 ISBN 0 8493 8980 1 Bittman Mark 2016 How To Bake Everything Simple Recipes for the Best Baking Boston Houghton Mifflin Harcourt p 55 ISBN 978 0 544 79886 1 Ruhlman Michael 2009 04 07 Ratio The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking Simon and Schuster ISBN 978 1 4165 6612 0 Further reading editMatz S 1972 Bakery Technology and Engineering AVI Publishing Co External links edit nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Leaven Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe module on Leavening agent Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leavening agent amp oldid 1179331336, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
