Leavening agent

Leavening or raising agents are substances that intercalate into a dough gases (mostly carbon dioxide ) and loosen it.

Through the jaws of the gas bubbles in the dough, the pores in the crumb of the baked goods. The relaxation makes the pastry only edible; ungelockertes pastries could hardly chew, suck but at most (example: Gingerbread in earlier times, before one has begun to loosen it with hartshorn ).

In the " Teiggare " produces gases which expand when baked by the heat addition or physically. Upon further baking the gas is retained in the dough ( gas holding capacity of the dough, for example, by adhesives), and the dough solidified, forming a collapse of the pastry is prevented after baking.

Biological leavening

These leavening agents are mainly yeasts. The unicellular fungi metabolize glucose to carbon dioxide and alcohol. The gaseous carbon dioxide relaxes the dough. The yeasts are added, for example as baker's yeast, sourdough or natural fermentation starter (on the basis of bee honey).

Chemical leavening

Chemical leavening agents are baking soda, (also known as ABC - drive) Hirschhorn salt, sodium bicarbonate ( baking soda) and potash. As an organic product potassium tartrate is approved under the name Weinstein as a food additive. The leavening agent to react with water, acid and heat, making them develop the necessary carbon dioxide for the relaxation.

Baking powder

Baking powder is usually a mixture of sodium bicarbonate (common name: sodium bicarbonate ) and an acidifying agent, often disodium dihydrogen diphosphate (E 450a ) or monocalcium orthophosphate (E 341a ), an acidic salt. So-called natural baking soda included as an acidulant citric acid (E 330) or tartaric acid (E 334); and Weinstein (E 336). Phosphate-free baking powder is neutral in taste, but usually more expensive.

Hirschhornsalz

Hirschhornsalz or ABC engine contains ammonium bicarbonate ( NH4HCO3 ) and is used for flat baked goods (eg, pastry or gingerbread ). Hirschhornsalz splits into ammonia, carbon dioxide and water. One theory for the designation of "American" says that they take their name from ammonia and ammonium originally were called cookies.

Potash

Potassium carbonate ( K2CO3) is used primarily for the Leb and honey cake making. Sometimes there is also a mixture of potassium carbonate and ammonium carbonate used.

Physical leavening

By physical drive agents are the relaxation by water vapor. Each baking this relaxation comes into play, even if it means other engines are used. The water contained in each dough evaporates during baking part, expands and relaxes as from the dough.

Also, the incorporation of air into a dough or a mass, often beaten egg whites such as in the biscuit manufacturing, one of the physical drive means. In puff pastry the relaxation comes about through evaporation of water in the baking process. The retracted into the dough layers of fat act as a vapor barrier and the dough sheets are lifted.

Food additive (E ... )

In the EU, the following food additives are approved as a leavening agent:

  • Ammonium carbonate (E 503)
  • Diphosphate (E 450)
  • Potassium carbonate ( E 501 )
  • Potassium phosphate ( E 340 )
  • Tartrate ( E 336 ) ( Weinstein )
  • Carbon dioxide ( E 290 )
  • Magnesium carbonate (E 504)
  • Potassium sodium tartrate ( Rochelle salt, E 337 ) ( Weinstein )
  • Sodium carbonates ( E 500 ) ( sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate)
  • Sodium tartrate (E 335 ) ( Weinstein )
  • Polyphosphate ( E 452 )
  • Acid sodium aluminum phosphate ( E 541 )
  • Triphosphates (E 451 ) ( triphosphate, Pentapotassium )
  • Food additive
  • Dough
Gluten Disodium pyrophosphate Pyrophosphate
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