And we’re back with another hot topic from our commercial baking community page, Baking Industry Professionals. Our focus for this month has switched to gluten-free cookies. By definition, this baked good is made with gluten-free grains, and its finished product contains less than 20 ppm gluten. As bakers, to formulate gluten-free cookies, it is [...]
You use protein to bulk up. So does your bread, in the form of gluten. This storage protein unique to wheat, rye and triticale is a reserve of amino acids. Thanks to its elastic, viscous and extensible properties, gluten gives bread its springy texture and allows dough to stretch. It also provides texture, stabilization, flavor and dough strength. [...]
You have probably heard us mention water absorption more than once. That’s because it’s such an important piece in dough production, no matter what you’re baking. Water absorption influences parameters in baking and bread such as: Loaf volume Fracture stress of bread crumb Bread yield Machinability Proofing Final products attributes Shelf life How does water absorption work? [...]
The alveograph is a pretty unique tool. It blows a piece of dough into a balloon, and then records its properties before it bursts and deflates. This helps assess the baking performance of flour in the production of bread, noodles, and tortillas, among other things. Bakers use this data to gain understanding of fluctuations in [...]
You’ve probably noticed, but healthy foods are all the rage these days. So, if you want to start baking with healthier alternatives, start with learning how your new ingredients are going to act in formulas. Let’s take a look at spelt This is a highly nutritious ancient grain (so double points for trending foods). [...]
Also known as enzyme-resistant starch, resistant starch is the part of starch that resists digestion (hence the name). But it’s also classified as a dietary fiber that comes with a whole list of health benefits. Nutritional benefits include: Improved glycemic index Controlled insulin responses Gut health Reduced blood glucose spikes after a meal What [...]
Vacuum Cooling What is Vacuum Cooling? Vacuum cooling is a rapid and more efficient alternative to traditional atmospheric or ambient cooling. It is a relatively new technology based on reducing the difference between ambient atmospheric pressure and water vapor pressure in a product. By using a pump, the vacuum cooling system removes [...]
Insoluble fiber falls under the dietary fiber heading, and offers a big health punch to products. It helps with digestion, reduces serum lipid levels and adds no calories! With the FDA defining more of what can be labeled as "dietary fiber," bakers have more options to incorporate fiber into products. What’s hard about baking with fiber? [...]
Almond Flour What is Almond Flour? Almond flour is simply almond nuts that have been ground and sieved to a certain particle size. It is the most widely used nut product and often used to make premium pastries and sweet goods like almond macaroons and Parisian macarons. This flour makes it a [...]
Particle Size Index Also known as endosperm mechanical resistance to particle size reduction What is the Particle Size Index? The particle size index (PSI) is an indicator of wheat milling and baking performance associated with wheat kernel hardness and flour granularity. The hardness of the wheat kernel has tremendous implications in its [...]
