Bread and Pastry Production
Overview
Baking is cooking by dry heat in an oven or oven-type appliance. It is a method of cooking used in
making breads, cakes, pies, pastries, and biscuits which everybody enjoys eating. Baking is an enjoyable
activity which you can learn either as a hobby or as an income-generating project.
This module will give you knowledge of the different bakery products and provide you hands-on
experience in baking, from the basic biscuits to the more complex cookies, muffins, and breads.
Definition of Terms
Baking Terminologies
As you wish to pursue baking as a career, you should familiarize yourself with the common preparation
and baking terminologies that come across in the process.
Acid - a substance having a sour or sharp flavor
Bake - to cook food in a dry heat method inside an oven
Batter - a mixture of flours with liquids such as water, milk, or eggs used to prepare various foods
Blend - to combine ingredients and produce a homogenous mixture
Coat - to cover with a thin layer of flour, sugar, nuts, batter, etc.
Contamination - the state of being contaminated
Chill - to refrigerate, to reduce the temperature of food
Dough - a soft, thick mass or mixture of dry ingredients (e.g., flour or meal), and liquid (e.g., water) that
is kneaded, shaped, and baked into bread or pastry
Dust - sprinkle the surface with flour to avoid mixture to stick to it
Egg wash - consists of beaten eggs sometimes mixed with a liquid, usually water or milk, which is
brushed onto the bread or pastry
Fermentation - the process of converting sugar into alcohol to produce carbon dioxide
Foaming - to continuously beat egg white to incorporate air until it becomes light and fluffy
Gluten - a substance responsible for the elastic and sticky characteristics of dough
Grease - to brush pan with shortening
Knead - to press, stretch, and fold the dough until gluten is developed
Line - to put a grease proof paper on the baking pans or sheets
Meringue - a mixture used as a dessert or a topping made of beaten egg whites and sugar until smooth,
light and fluffy, usually added with cream of tartar to make it stable
Mise En Place - French term means "put in place" that includes assembling all the necessary ingredients,
equipment, and tools and serving pieces needed to prepare food
Mix - to combine ingredients in any way that make distribution of ingredients evenly
Pre-heat - to heat the oven prior to baking to achieve the required heat
Punch down - to deflate the dough to expel carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation process to
give it a second chance to rise
Scrape - to remove sticky ingredients from the side of the mixing bowl
Stir in - to add another ingredient into the mixture
Syrup - a thick sticky solution of sugar and water
Whip - to beat rapidly and continuously to aid incorporation of air as in whipping egg whites to make
meringue and cream
Work simplification- performance of a task in the most efficient way possible
Yeast - microorganisms that produce carbon dioxide gas when it mixes with carbohydrates, causing the
dough to rise
Prepare and Produce bakery Products
Techniques in Measuring and Weighing Ingredients Used in Baking
It is important to measure the ingredients accurately to get standard products and efficient use of
materials. Different flour in different localities need varying amounts of liquid and this should be
considered in baking
Keep a record of the quantity of flour used each time you bake to find out which measurement
produces the best result from the flour available in your area.
You will soon learn to judge the correct amount of liquid to add by the consistency of the dough
and the way it handles.
1. Dry Ingredients
A. Flour
● Sift the flour to remove lumps.
● Spoon sifted flour lightly into a measuring cup heaping it well over the top of the cup. Do
not shake the cup.
● Level off the cup with straight-edged utensils or spatula.
● For fractions of a cup, use the lines indicating ½, 13, and 12 of the standard measuring
cup.
2. Sugar
● White sugar needs sifting only if lumpy. Proceed as in the measurement of flour.
● Brown sugar, if lumpy, press through a coarse sieve to crush the lumps. Pack into a measuring
cup just enough to hold its shape. Level off.
● Sift confectioner's sugar through a sieve to remove lumps. Spoon lightly into measuring cup.
Level off with spatula or any straight- edged utensil. Do not shake the cup.
3. Baking Powder, Soda, Salt and Spices
● Fill the measuring spoon with the desired ingredients. Level off with a spatula or any
straight-edged utensils. If baking powder has caked, stir lightly before measuring.
4. Shortening
● With the use of measuring cup
● Have shortening at room temperature. Pack firmly into the measuring cup, taking care not to have
air pockets. Level off with a spatula or any straight edged utensils. Use a standard measuring
spoon for less than ¼ cup shortening.
5. Water Displacement Method
● Fill the cup with cold water up to 1¼ cup level if ½ cup of fat is desired and add shortening
enough to cause the water to rise up to the 1 cup mark. To measure ¼ cup, fill with cold water up
to % cup level and add shortening enough to raise the water up to the 1 cup mark. Drain well.
2. Liquid Ingredients (Water and Milk)
1 cup butter 1 cup margarine
1 oz baking chocolate (unsweetened) 1 square
1 oz sweetened chocolate ¼ cup cocoa + 1 ½ to 2 tsp shortening
8-10 pcs graham crackers 1 cup grahams crumbs
4 oz. Bread 3 cups of soft crumbs
1 cup milk ½ c evaporated milk ½ cup water
1 cup cake flour 1 cup APF -2T+ 2 T cornstarch (both sifted before
measuring)
1 T cornstarch 2 T APF
1 c Sour milk 1 c Evap milk + 1 T vinegar or lemon Juice
1 c whipping Cream ¾ c whole milk + ¼ c Butter
1 whole egg 2 egg yolks
1 c Molasses 1 C honey
A liquid measuring cup is best to use for liquid ingredients because it is clear and see through. It also has
a spout that makes pouring of liquids easy. To get the exact amount, follow these steps when measuring
liquids.
1. Set up the liquid measuring cup. Place the measuring cup on a flat, even surface.
2. Pour the liquid carefully and slowly into the cup. Stop pouring when the liquid reaches the marker
line for the desired amount.
3. Check your measurement. Bend down so that your eyes level with the marker line. Look at the
top of the liquid.
Frequently Used Substitutions and Equivalents
Equivalent Weights and Measurement
Given Measurement Equivalents
1 gallon (gal.) 4 quarts
1 quart (qt) 2 pints
1 pint (pt) 2 cups
1 cup 8 fluids ounces
½ cup 4 ounces
¼ cup 2 ounces
⅛ cup 1 fluid ounce
1 Tbps 3 teaspoon
1 pound 16 ounces
2.2 pounds 35.2 ounces
1 kilogram 1000 grams
Major Ingredients in Baking
1. FLOUR - Flour is a finely ground meal obtained by grinding and milling cereal grains or other
root crops. Flour is most commonly made from wheat and when the word "flour" is used without
qualification, it usually implies wheat flour. However, flour also can be made from many other
grasses and non-grain plants, such as rye, barley, maize (corn), rice, potatoes, and other foods.
Wheat contains protein. When mixed with water, these proteins form as gluten. The more protein
a flour has, the stronger the gluten strength.
A. Types of Flour : Flour can be classified as hard flour or soft flour.
● Hard flour or bread flour is high in gluten, with 12-14% protein content, and has strongest gluten
strength.
● Bread flour has 12-14% protein content and is made from hard wheat flour. The high gluten
content causes the bread to rise and gives its shape and structure.
● All-purpose flour has 10-11% protein content and is made from a blend of hard and soft wheat
flours, also called the General Purpose Flour or family flour.
● Soft flour is comparatively low in gluten and so results in a finer texture. Soft flour is usually
made into cake flour, which is the lowest in gluten content, and pastry flour, which has slightly
more gluten than cake flour.
● Cake flour has 7-9% protein content and is made from soft wheat flour. It is good for making
cakes and cookies where a tender and delicate texture is desired.
B. Uses of flour
a. provides Structure, texture and color to baked products
b. provides nutritive value to baked products
c. used as thickening agent
d. used as binder of food
e. used as stiffening agent in laundry
C. Storage of Flour
Most types of flour keep well in a sealed container in a cool, dry location. The original paper
packaging used for many types of flour is good for long term storage as long as the package has not been
opened. Once opened, the shelf life decreases. Many types of flour are now marketed in resealable plastic
bags that increase shelf life.
D. Properties/Characteristics of flour
● whitish color
● tolerance
● strength
● uniformity
● high absorption
E. SUGAR
Sugar is a sweet, soluble organic compound that belongs to the carbohydrate group of food. They
are the simplest to digest among all carbohydrates.
Types of Sugar
● Regular granulated sugar or white sugar also known as table sugar or as refined sugar.
● Confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar - granulated sugar that has been pulverized. To
prevent lumping and caking, about 3% cornstarch is added.
● Brown sugar contains caramel, mineral matter and moisture. It also contains a small
amount of molasses. It comes in three colors
Effects of Sugar in Baking
● Increases dough development
● Makes the color of the crust richer
● improves the nutritive value, flavor and aroma of the product
● makes the bread more tender
● increase the volume of the loaf
● serves as food for the yeast
● contributes to moisture content of baked products, increasing its storing quality
● acts as creaming agents
F. EGGS
Eggs are considered a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids humans are to
build other proteins needed by the body. Both the yolk and the egg white contain protein, so whole eggs
or their separated component may be used to set liquids
They represent almost 50% of the total cost of any baked products, thus consider the baking
ingredients with the highest cost or expense.
Uses of Eggs in Baking
1. Eggs, as well as flour, are the structural ingredients in baking.
2. Eggs provide leavening; add color, texture, flavor and richness to the batter; and act as stabilizer
in a mixture that inherently wants to separate into its two parts, like oil and water. They are very
important in helping to bind all the other ingredients together.
3. Beaten eggs are used as leavening agents as they incorporate air into the batter, which will expand
in the oven and cause the cake to rise.
4. Eggs are used as a thickening agent.
5. Egg washes are brushed on many baked goods to create a golden shiny top. The egg white
provides luster and the egg yolk color.
6. Egg whites are used to make meringues.
Composition of Egg
1. Mucin- protein which is found in egg whites and responsible for its gel characteristic.
2. Ovalbumin is another protein found in egg whites which coagulates and involves both in heat
coagulation and whipping.
3. Lecithin- present in egg yolk which is responsible for its emulsifying property. It is the portion of
the egg yolk that causes spoilage when eggs are stored at a warm temperature.
G. SHORTENING
Shortening is any fat, which, when added to flour mixtures, increases tenderness. This is done by
preventing the sticking of gluten strands while mixing so that gluten is shortened and makes the product
tender.
A. Examples of Shortening
1. Oil made from plant products such as corn, cotton seeds, soybeans, peanuts, and other sources. As
a rule, you can substitute oil for melted shortening. Among produced oils, corn oil and vegetable
oils are commonly used in baking. Unless specified in the recipe, olive oil should not be used in
baking.
2. Butter made of fatty milk proteins. It contains 80-85% fat; 10-15% water and 5% milk solids.
When used in baking, it contributes flavor and tenderness. Butter remains solid when refrigerated,
but softens to a spreadable consistency at room temperature, and melts to a thin liquid consistency
at 32-35°C (90-95 °F).
3. Margarine made from hydrogenated vegetable oil. It contains 80-85 percent fat, 10-15 percent
water and 5 percent salt. The hydrogenation process makes oil a solid.
4. Lard made of fat from pork. Some people prefer lard to other fats for making pie crust and
biscuits because it gives a flakier texture.
5. Cocoa Butter - the ivory-colored natural fat of the cocoa beans extracted during the
manufacturing of chocolate and cocoa powder. It gives chocolate its creamy, smooth,
melt-in-your-mouth texture.
B. Uses of Shortening in Baking
1. Makes bread products tender and improves flavor.
2. Assist in gas retention giving better volume and crust.
3. Prevent the cohesion of gluten.
4. Improve the aroma, color and texture of baked products.
5. Improve the shelf life of baked products because of its moisture.
H. LEAVENING AGENT
Leavening agents are gasses that cause the dough to rise. In the presence of moisture, heat, and
others, the leavening agent reacts to produce gas (often carbon dioxide) that becomes trapped as bubbles
within the dough. When a dough or batter is baked, it "sets" and the holes left by the gas bubbles remain.
This is what gives breads, cakes, and other baked goods to rise and increase in volume.
A. Classification of Leavening Agents
1. Chemical Leaveners. Chemical leaveners are chemical mixtures or compounds that release
gasses, usually carbon dioxide. Chemical leaveners are used in quick breads and cakes, as well as
cookies.
Examples of chemical leaveners is
● Baking Soda otherwise known as bicarbonate of soda, or Sodium Bicarbonate. It is a chemical
salt with diverse practical uses. It is a powerful leavener that readily reacts as soon as it comes in
contact with batter or dough
● Baking Powder - is a combination of baking soda and acid salt.
● Cream of tartar is tartaric acid and is a fine white crystalline acid salt which is a by-product of the
wine-making industry. It is used in the whipping of egg whites to stabilize them and allow them
to reach maximum volume.
2. Biological Leaveners. Yeast is a living organism, neither plant nor animal. Yeasts belong to a
separate kingdom in taxonomy, the fungus kingdom. Leavening with yeast is a process based on
fermentation, the process of converting sugar to alcohol and to carbon dioxide.
Types of Yeast
● Dry or granular
● Compressed or cake type
● Instant
I. LIQUID INGREDIENT
Liquid ingredients provide moisture to rehydrate and activate the yeast and bring together the
flour and any other dry ingredients to make the dough. It also improves the formation of gluten strands
during the kneading of dough.
The Following are some types of the liquid ingredients used in baking
A. Water
It is the cheapest liquid used in baking. It performs a vital role in baking, making ingredients
rehydrated. The right amount of water helps dissolve all other ingredients in batter and in dough to form a
smooth, workable mixture. In that way, water acts as a binding agent for any baked products.
B. Milk and Other Dairy Products
Milk and cream, like water, moisten dough and batters. Unlike water, they add a slight flavor to
the final baked good and increase its richness. Milk and cream also create a fuller, moisture texture in
baked goods and help them brown on the surface. They also contribute to the nutritive value of baked
goods.
Types of Milk Used in Baking
● fresh milk or whole milk
● evaporated milk
● condensed milk
● skimmed milk
● powder or dry milk
Uses of Milk in Baking
● increases nutritive value of baked products
● enhances texture and increase softness of baked goods
● acts as a strengthener when mixed with flour, because it helps in the formation of gluten, which
gives a baked item structure
● provides moisture and tenderness to baked goods
● enhances flavor
● extends the shelf life of a cake
● boosts crust color
Minor Ingredients in Baking
They are not as important as the major ingredients in baking but they are essentail in attaining the
sensory qualities of baked products. They are used in small quantity, but contribute to the enhancement of
flavor and texture of the baked products. These are the ingredients that add distinction and character to
baked goods.
1. Flavoring
2. vanilla
3. salt
4. spices (cloves, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg)
5. Wines
6. Coffee
7. Chocolate Cocoa
Types of chocolate
1. Unsweetened chocolate
2. bittersweet and Semisweet chocolate
3. Milk Chocolate
