Dummies Guide to

Baking Ingredients
1 INTRODUCTION

“ What is Baker’s Percent?

How do I pick the right dough conditioner?

“
What roles do eggs play in baking formulas?

Grasping the basics of baking ingredients & formulas

is the first step of becoming a master baker.
Here are a few key ones.
2 The Basics
✓ Baker’s Percent ✓ Dough Conditioners

✓ Water ✓ Eggs

✓ Flour ✓ Dairy

✓ Fat/Shortening
✓ Leavening
Systems
✓ Gluten-free
✓ pH Modulators
✓ Sweeteners
✓ Texture Modifiers
✓ Salt
✓ Fiber
✓ Preservatives
 3 Baker’s Percent
It’s the Baker’s way of confusing food
scientists, as it doesn’t really make sense to
anyone else.

• Based on flour weight

• Ease and simplicity of scaling
• Consistency of results
• Common language among bakers

Baker’s percent is only used in baking systems

that do not contain a high amount of fiber and
other non-wheat flours or grains.
4 Water
H20 can influence hydration levels, dough
handling, shelf life and consistency.

• pH

• Water absorption

• Water activity

• Relative humidity

• Plasticizer

• Moisture

• Water source
5 Wheat Flour
A wheat kernel is made up of:
Types
• Hard Wheat: bread, pizza, bagels
• Soft Wheat: cookies, cakes, pastries

Flour Quality
• Soft Wheat: lower protein
• Hard Wheat: higher protein

Other Types
All purpose, cake, cookie, clear, heat
treated, high gluten, pastry, patent,
straight grade , self rising, stone
ground, unbleached wheat, whole
grain, whole wheat flour
6 Non-wheat Flour
Types for baking:

• Rye • Quinoa

• Triticale • Amaranth

• Spelt • Brown or white rice

• White sorghum • Pregel rice flour

• Oat flour • Flaxseed

• Potato • Coconut

• Garbanzo bean flour

7 Leavening Systems

Chemical leavening
• Acid/base reaction
- sodium bicarbonate, baker’s ammonia
• Leavening acids
• Neutralizing values (fast vs. slow)

Yeast
• Cake
• Dry
• Cream/liquid

Sourdough
• Flour microflora
• Aroma
8 pH Modulators
Function
• Shelf life extension
• Manipulate function of dough
• Leavening

Types
• Acids
- Acetic acid
- Adipic acid
- Malic acid
- Vinegar
• Bases
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Ammonium bicarbonate
 9 Texture Modifiers
Types
• Resistant starch
• Modified wheat starch
• DATEM replacers
• Gums and Hydrocolloids
• Fiber
• Acacia gum
• Carrageenan gum
- Guar gum
- Carob gum
- Xanthan gum

A texture profile analysis can help you monitor & adjust.

10 Fiber

Fiber is a plant based cellulose material that adds

function and nutrition.

Types
• Soluble
• Insoluble

High-fiber definition
• 4g fiber/serving
• FDA approved sources
11 Dough Conditioners

Consistent outcome & optimized supply chain.

Types
• Oxidizing agents
• Reducing agents
• Yeast nutrients
• Emulsifiers
- AMG
- Mono & Diglycerides
- SSL
- DATEM
- Lecithin
• Enzymes
• Wheat gluten
• pH modulators
12 Eggs

Function
• Foaming
• Emulsification
• Strength
• Aroma
• Texture
• Nutritional value

Egg replacement
• Whey
• Soy
• Wheat gluten
• Cyclodextrins
13 Dairy

Types
• NFDM (heat treated)
• Milk
• Buttermilk
• Evaporated milk
• Cream cheese
• Whey
• Milk Replacement

Function
• Aroma
• Soft and fluffy texture
• Increases protein
• Better shelf life
14 Fat & Shortening

Animal
• Lard
• Butter
• Cream
• Dairy

Plant
• Corn, soy, olive
• Liquid oil

Solid fat
• Palm, coconut,
cocoa butter, ghee
15 Gluten-free
Add in:
• Egg
• Whey
• Hydrocolloids and gums
• Enzymes
• Sourdough
• Fat
• Soy

Gluten-free flours:
• Rice, sorghum, pea, corn, nut, oat

You’ll need to adjust things like mixing time,

water absorption, fermentation and baking time.
16 Sweeteners

Types:
• Sucrose • Liquid sugar
• Lactose • Invert sugar syrup
• Crystalline glucose • High fructose corn syrup
• Brown sugar • Glucose or corn syrup
• Molasses • Maple sugar
• Honey

Function:
• Sweetening • Bulking agents
• Tenderizing • Browning or coloring
• Batter aeration • Humectants
• Fermentation • Texture
17 Salt

Baker’s Salt
• Granular, white crystalline solid

Sea Salt:
• Adds extra flavor to cooked dishes

Kosher salt:
• Dissolves quickly, flavor is dispersed rapidly

Function:
• Flavor enhancer
• Strengthens dough
• Adds volume
• Slows fermentation
18 Preservatives
Texture:
• Enzymes

Antimicrobial:
• Cultured Wheat
• Calcium Propionate
• Raisin Juice
• Herbs
• Sorbic Acid
• Potassium Sorbate
• Natamycin

You’ll need to take into consideration, a lower pH or a lower water activity

level that can be achieved with more fat in the system and a proper bake out.
Episode 3: Is Calcium
Propionate Safe?

Like and subscribe to the Ask Dr. Lin

channel, and never miss an episode!
Podcast Ep 41:
New Ingredients at IBIE 19
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