Leavening 101 by Sommer

Today I want to talk about something that frustrates most bakers at some point: leavening.

That would be the ingredient(s) you add to make your bread rise, make your cakes fluffy, and give waffles that airy lift.

There are whole books written on leavening, as well as websites dedicated to the subject of how they work and which ones to use for what recipe.

Today I just want to share some leavening basics so that hopefully, armed with this knowledge, you can go forth, bake and conquer!

 
 

Leavening agents are ingredients specifically added to recipes, most often baked goods, to make them rise.

Leavening agents cause a chemical reaction, either when mixed with a liquid ingredient or when they reach a certain temperature. The chemical reaction creates gas bubbles that push the dough or batter upward for a light airy texture.

We’ve all made the mistake of forgetting to add the baking powder to a cake, only to find a flat chocolate disk in the oven 30 minutes later. When this happens, the importance of leavening is obvious.

The top baking failures I hear about from readers of my blog can be linked back to faulty leavening … closely followed by an oven that runs too hot or too cold. (To fix this, buy a new oven thermometer to hang from the rack inside your oven. Then adjust the oven temperature as needed.)

 
 

The most common leavening agents are: yeast, baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

However, many other standard ingredients have some lifting qualities as well, such as: well-sifted flour, eggs, yogurt, beer, or seltzer water.

Leavening agents can lose their lift power over time. It’s best to use them quickly, store them properly, and be willing to throw them out and purchase new ingredients when needed. There’s nothing worse that ruining a whole batch of cookies with old baking powder. (I always buy new leavening agents at the beginning of the holiday baking season, just to be safe.)

Storing yeast in the freezer will extend its shelf life. Baking soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar are best stored in a cool dry place.

 
 

Yeast

Yeast is most commonly used in bread-making, because it has the ability to create big airy bubbles for larger pores throughout the bread. Plus, it leaves that beloved yeasty flavor behind in the process.

There are various types of yeast available, including fresh or pressed yeast, instant yeast, and dried active yeast. The easiest to find is dry active yeast.

Dry active yeast has the greatest impact when you take the time to “activate” it before adding to a recipe.

 
 

To do this, simply add a small amount of sugar for the yeast to feed on, and then add lukewarm water. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Cold water makes it difficult for the yeast to activate.

You will know the yeast is happily feasting on the sugar when it starts to foam, also called sponging. This usually takes 5–10 minutes.

Some recipes state you can add dry active yeast directly, without activating, but I do not often recommend this. Stick with the activation process for best results.

 
 

Baking Soda

Baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate, is a chemical compound that is best used for a quick-rise in pancakes, waffles, and cookies. Baking soda is a base, so when an acid ingredient is added to the mixture, it causes a fast reaction. Think elementary school volcano experiments!

If you are baking something at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time, baking soda alone is not the solution. Yet it does help offer the initial lift needed to form a lovely exterior crust.

When baking something hot and fast like cookies or quick breads, baking soda is key to getting that lovely lift!

Baking soda is extremely strong in lift-power and flavor. A little goes a long way. If you use too much, your baked goods may have a funky metallic taste. This is especially true if you haven’t neutralized the baking soda with an acidic ingredient. Ingredients that neutralize baking soda include buttermilk, sugar, honey, many types of fruit, cocoa powder, citrus juice, cream of tartar, and of course, vinegar.

Usually, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons is plenty for each cup of flour in the recipe.

 
 

Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar, or tartaric acid, is a completely different animal than baking soda. In fact, it’s often added with baking soda to neutralize it.

Cream of tartar is less often used than other leaving agents, but it’s still important to mention, especially for those special occasion desserts. It stabilizes and lifts eggs for perfect meringue. It also gives whipped cream a fuller texture and longer shelf life when using the whipped cream on cakes and pies.

Cream of tartar is the ultimate stabilizer. When you make any treat that is delicate, like custards or mousse, it helps to add a little pinch of cream of tartar to enhance the texture, volume, and shape.

 
 

Baking Powder

When in doubt, go with baking powder.

Baking powder is a combination of cornstarch, baking soda, and cream of tartar. It is self-neutralizing and usually double-acting. That means the chemical reaction happens when you add liquid, and again when it is heated.

Baking powder alone will work its magic in most recipes.

One reason some recipes call for both a measure of baking powder and a smaller measure of baking soda, is because the recipe developer wants the chemical reaction to happen to a great degree in the beginning stages of baking.

Some recipes also have a large amount of acidic ingredients. Adding additional baking soda to the baking powder levels things out a bit, for the best rise.

As a general rule, use approximately 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every cup of flour in the recipe.

 
 

Leavening can be a little confusing, but with some experimentation, you’ll get the hang of it!