Chapter 10

Quick Breads
 Quick Breads
• Quick to make

• Leavened by chemical leaveners and

steam

• No yeast = no fermentation time

• Tender products with little gluten

development
 Dough Mixtures for Quick
Breads
• Two types of dough mixtures for quick
breads:
• Soft doughs
– Used for biscuits
• Rolled out and cut into desired shapes

• Batters
– Pour batters
• Liquid enough to be poured
– Drop batters
• Thick enough to be dropped from a spoon in lumps
 Gluten Development in Quick
Breads
• Slight gluten development desirable in most quick breads

• Tenderness is a desirable quality, rather than a chewy

quality

• Chemical leaveners
– Do not create the same kind of texture as yeast
– Not strong enough to create a light, tender product if
gluten is too strong

• Muffin, loaf bread and pancake batters are mixed as little

as possible
– Mixed only until dry ingredients are moistened
– Presence of fat and sugar, keeps gluten development
low
 Gluten Development in Quick
Breads
• Overmixing produces:
– Toughness
– Tunneling
• Irregular shapes and large, elongated holes inside muffins

• Biscuit dough
– Lightly kneaded
– Enough to develop some flakiness but not enough to
toughen product

• Popovers exception among quick breads

– Made with a thin batter and leavened only by steam
– Bread flour used and mixed well to develop the gluten
– High percentage of egg helps build structure
 Quickbread Mixing Methods
• Biscuit Method aka pastry method
– Biscuits, scones and similar methods

• Muffin Method
– Muffins, pancakes, waffles, loaf-type or sheet-type quick breads
– Fast and easy
– Dough can easily become overmixed
– Muffin batter should be mixed only until the dry ingredients are just
moistened.
– Not suitable for formulas high in fat

• Creaming Method
– Cake mixing method applied to muffins and loaf breads
– Produces fine-textured goods
– Less danger of overmixing
– Useful for products with high fat and sugar content
 Procedure – Biscuit Method
1. Scale all ingredients accurately
2. Sift the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl
3. Cut in shortening
- Using the paddle attachment OR
- By hand, using a pastry blender or your fingers
4. Combine all liquid ingredients
5. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Mix just until the
ingredients are combined and a soft dough is formed. Do not
overmix.
6. Bring the dough to the bench and knead it lightly by pressing it
out and folding it in half. Rotate the dough 90 degrees
between folds.
7. Repeat this procedure about 10 to 20 times, or for about 30
seconds. The dough should be slightly elastic, but not sticky.
Overkneading toughens the biscuits.

The dough is now ready for makeup.

 Procedure – Biscuit Method
Variations:
Changes in the basic procedure produce
different characteristics in the finished
product:

1. Using slightly more shortening and

cutting it in less – until the pieces are the
size of peas produces as flakier biscuit.

2. Omitting the kneading step produces very

tender, crusty biscuits, but with less volume.
 Procedure – Muffin Method
1. Sift together the dry ingredients. (a)

2. Combine all liquid ingredients, including melted fat

or oil.

3. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and mix just

until all the flour is moistened.
- The batter will look lumpy. Be careful not to overmix. (b)

4. Pan and bake immediately. (c)

- The dry and liquid mixtures may be prepared in
advance, but once the mixtures are combined, the batter
should be baked without delay, or loss of volume may
result
 Procedure – Muffin Method

A B

C
Procedure – Creaming Method for
Biscuits
1. Combine fat, sugar, salt and milk powder (if
used) in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle
attachment.
2. Blend to a smooth paste
3. Add the eggs gradually and blend in
thoroughly.
4. Add the water or milk (liquid) and mix in.
5. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
Add to the bowl and mix to a smooth dough.
Procedure – Creaming Method for
Muffins, Loaves, and Coffee Cakes
1. Combine fat, sugar, salt, spices and milk powder (if used)
in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
2. Cream ingredients together until light.
3. Add the eggs in two or three stages. Cream well after
each addition before adding more eggs.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder and other dry
ingredients.
5. Stir together the liquid ingredients until well combined.
6. Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the liquids.
- Add ¼ of the dry ingredients. Mix until just blended in.
- Add 1/3 of the liquid. Mix until just blended in.
Repeat until all ingredients are used.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally for even
mixing.
 Makeup of Biscuits
1. Roll out biscuit dough into a sheet about ½ in. thick
- Roll evenly and to a uniform thickness
- Biscuits approx. double in height during baking.
2. Cut into desired shapes
- Round hand cutters
- Cut straight down, do not twist cutter
- Space cuts as closely as possible
- Reworked scrap dough produces tougher biscuits
- Cutting into squares or triangles with pastry cutter
eliminates scraps.
3. Place biscuits ½ in. apart on greased or paper-lined baking
sheets
- For softer biscuits w/o crusty sides, arrange units so they
touch each other – must be broken apart after baking.
4. If desired, brush tops with egg wash or milk to aid browning.
5. Bake as soon as possible.
 Makeup and Panning of Muffin
Products
• Tins and loaf pans
– Greased w/ shortening and dusted with flour
– Greased w/ commercial pan grease preparation

• Sheet pans for corn breads or other sheet products

– Lined with silicone paper

• Paper liners may be used for muffin tins

– If greased, muffins do not stick
– Product will rise more freely and take better shape w/o paper liners

• Portioning batter into muffin tins

– Do not stir the mix = toughening
– Scoop batter from the outside edge

• Batter for muffins and quick loaf breads interchangable

– i.e. banana bread may be baked as muffins instead of loaves
– i.e. standard muffin batter may be baked as loaves or sheets.