Quick Breads

1
Quick Breads

• Baking soda, baking powder or steam are used as
  leavening.

2
Batters and Doughs

• Pour batter - liquid to flour ratio 11
  Examples pancakes, popovers, cream puffs,
  waffles
• Drop batter - liquid to flour ratio 12
  Examples muffins, cakes, quick breads
• Soft dough - liquid to flour ratio 13
  Examples biscuits, doughnuts, yeast bread
• Stiff dough - liquid to flour ratio 14
  Examples pie crust, cookies, noodles

3
Role of Ingredients

• Flour - Structure and rigidity due to coagulated
  protein and starch gelatinization. Stretch and
  elasticity to hold gas.
• Liquid - Dissolves sugar, salt, soda, and acid.
  Hydrates protein and starch. Forms steam for
  leavening.
• Salt - Taste influences the rate and degree of
  flour hydration especially important in yeast
  bread.

4

• Leavening agent - Gas or source of gas which can
  expand during baking and cause product to rise.
• Fat - Tenderizes product by water proofing flour
  thus limiting gluten development.
• Sugar - Tenderizes by decreasing water uptake by
  flour, thus interferes with gluten development.
  Aids browning.
• Eggs - Structure and elasticity from protein.
  Aids in air incorporation.

5
Types

• Pancakes, waffles - pour batter
• Typically leavened with baking powder or soda.
  Tenderness depends on amount of fat and sugar
  used. Griddle needs to be hot enough to cause
  bubbles to form on top when cooked. When drying
  occurs at edge they can be turned.
• Popovers - pour batter
  
• Leavened by steam. Baked at high temperature
  to convert water to steam for leavening. No fat
  is used so texture is elastic.

6

• Cream puffs - pour batter
• Leavened by steam. Cream puffs have 8X the
  fat (tenderness) of popovers thus more eggs are
  used to provide structure. Texture is tender and
  crisp. Preparation water and fat are heated in
  pan, flour added and stirred to form a ball.
  Cooled, then egg is mixed in.
• Muffins - drop batter
  
• Use muffin method to combine ingredients.
  Ideal for gluten development. Mix ingredients
  until just moistened. Excess stirring causes
  more gluten development and peaked tops and
  tunnels.

7

• Quick breads - drop batter
  Added ingredients make different flavors and
  textures. Banana nut, cherry nut, date, pumpkin,
  zucchini, etc.
• Biscuits - soft dough
  Use biscuit method to combine ingredients.
  Because liquid to flour ratio is 13, more
  manipulation is needed to develop gluten.
  Biscuits are kneaded lightly and rolled. Under
  or over manipulation results in a flatter biscuit.

8

• Unleavened Breads leavened only with steam.
  Usually a soft dough that is steamed, oven- or
  skillet-baked, fried, or
• grilled
• Types tortillas, chapatis, crisp flat breads,
  matzo