Quick Breads

Quick Breads

• products that have a bread- or cake-like texture but do not contain yeast.

• For example: pancakes, biscuits, muffins, scones, waffles, soda breads.

Typical Ingredients

• Flour-foundation of quick breads- provides structure• Eggs –provide added volume and structure; a natural

leavener• Fat –keep baked products moist and tender; aids in

creaming/mixing• Sugar -improve flavor and color; also aids in creaming• Salt –strengthens gluten and enhances flavor• Leavening agent –allow quick breads to leaven, or rise• Liquid –adds moisture; allows dry ingredients to be blended

into a batter or dough; helps produce gluten

Quick breads are produced by one of three methods:

• Biscuit Method• Cut the fat into dry ingredients (Flour,

sugar, salt and leavening agent

• then add liquids (liquid and eggs).

Blending Method

• Combine liquid, sugar, fat and eggs • then add dry ingredients.

Creaming Method

• Mix sugar and shortening• add eggs• add the dry and liquid ingredients alternately

Types of quick breads

– Dough-thicker in consistency; they can be rolled and cut into shapes prior to baking.

• Examples:

– Batters-either a pour batter or drop batter

• Pour batters vary in consistency. Examples:

• Drop batters are so thick they need to be scraped or dropped from a portion or ice cream scoop to the cookware. Examples

• Loaf breads are made from a drop batter or a very thick pour batter.

• Baking powder is the chemical leavening agent used. The baked product should:

– Have a uniform texture– Have a crust that is lightly browned, but not thick– Be moist and tender, not tough and dry– Have rounded tops with a split down the center

Mixing

• Time spent mixing loaf bread batter is crucial. Under mixing will result in a lumpy batter with dry pockets of flour. Over mixing will overdevelop the gluten resulting in a tough product with tunnels. MIX lightly and only long enough to blend all the ingredients.

Flavor

• Adding nuts, berries, banana, pumpkin, etc. can alter the flavor.

Leavenings

• substance that causes dough and batter to rise.

• Double acting baking powder or baking soda are the most common

• Purchase in the smallest unit possible—they will deteriorate.

• Store in air-tight containers and keep in a cool, dry place.