How Baking Works Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science

An up-to-date, comprehensive guide to understanding and applying food science to the bakeshop

The essence of baking is chemistry, and anyone who wants to be a master pastry chef must understand the principles and science that make baking work. This book explains the whys and hows of every chemical reaction, essential ingredient, and technique, revealing the complex mysteries of bread loaves, pastries, and everything in between. Among other additions, How Baking Works, Third Edition includes an all-new chapter on baking for health and wellness, with detailed information on using whole grains, allergy-free baking, and reducing salt, sugar, and fat in a variety of baked goods. This detailed and informative guide features:

* An introduction to the major ingredient groups, including sweeteners, fats, milk, and leavening agents, and how each affects finished baked goods
* Practical exercises and experiments that vividly illustrate how different ingredients function
* Photographs and illustrations that show the science of baking at work
* End-of-chapter discussion and review questions that reinforce key concepts and test learning

For both practicing and future bakers and pastry chefs, How Baking Works, Third Edition offers an unrivaled hands-on learning experience.

For students in baking and pastry programs and working professional pastry chefs, a thorough understanding of the science behind the methods is essential.  Professionals and students alike need to know much more than merely how to follow a pastry recipe and execute basic baking techniques -- in order to develop successful recipes, it is important to also understand the "hows" and "whys" behind each recipe step. How does increasing the sugar in a pound cake affect the appearance, flavor, and texture of the end product? How can you increase browning in rolls without negatively impacting their texture? Can baking soda and baking powder be used interchangeably? This book holds the answers to all these questions and more. Figoni leads readers through all the major ingredient groups, from sweeteners, fats, and milk to fruits, chocolate, and leavening agents, and provides clear explanation of how each ingredient functions in the bakeshop and how various ingredients interact with one another to create perfect baked goods. This third edition also includes an all-new chapter on Baking for Health and Wellness, which covers the basics of using whole grains, decreasing salt, sugar, and fat, and developing gluten-free, milk-free, and egg-free products for consumers with allergies. In each chapter, learning objectives, end-of-chapter review questions, and lab exercises and experiments encourage sensory analysis and reinforce key concepts.

An up-to-date, comprehensive guide to understanding and applying food science to the bakeshopThe essence of baking is chemistry, and anyone who wants to be a master pastry chef must understand the principles and science that make baking work. This book explains the whys and hows of every chemical reaction, essential ingredient, and technique, revealing the complex mysteries of bread loaves, pastries, and everything in between. Among other additions, How Baking Works, Third Edition includes an all-new chapter on baking for health and wellness, with detailed information on using whole grains, allergy-free baking, and reducing salt, sugar, and fat in a variety of baked goods. This detailed and informative guide features: An introduction to the major ingredient groups, including sweeteners, fats, milk, and leavening agents, and how each affects finished baked goods Practical exercises and experiments that vividly illustrate how different ingredients function    Photographs and illustrations that show the science of baking at work End-of-chapter discussion and review questions that reinforce key concepts and test learningFor both practicing and future bakers and pastry chefs, How Baking Works, Third Edition offers an unrivaled hands-on learning experience.