Quick Breads - Leavening Process

Leavening Process

During the chemical leavening process, agents (one or more chemicals—usually an acid and a base) are added into the dough of baked goods. These agents undergo a chemical reaction to produce carbon dioxide, hence increasing the pastry's volume and producing shape and texture. Yeast breads often take hours to rise. The baked good's outcome texture can vary greatly based on external factors such as temperature. However, breads made with chemical leaveners are relatively uniform, reliable, and quick. Usually, the resulting baked product is softer and lighter.

Examples of such agents include baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) plus an acid, such as cream of tartar, lemon juice or cultured buttermilk, to elicit an acid-base reaction that releases carbon dioxide. (Quick Bread leavened specifically with sodium bicarbonate is called soda bread). Baking powder can also be used as it contains an acid and a base and simply needs a liquid medium in which to react. Other leavening agents are egg whites beaten to form stiff peaks as in the case of many waffle recipes, and steam, in the case of cream puffs. Nevertheless, in a commercial process, designated chemical leavening acids and bases are used to make gas production consistent and controlled. Examples of Acid Base Combinations include:

Almost all quick breads have the same basic ingredients: flour, leavening, eggs, fat (butter, margarine, shortening, or oil), and liquid such as milk. Ingredients beyond these basic ingredients are included for variation in flavor and texture. The type of bread produced is variable based predominantly on the method of mixing, the major flavoring, and the ratio of liquid in the batter. Some batters will be thin enough to pour, and others will be thick and consequently be dropped.