Raising Agents

Understanding Raising Agents

• Definition: A raising agent is a substance used in cooking to lighten the texture and increase the volume of baked goods such as cakes, breads and pastries by creating gas which forms pockets in them.
• Types: Common raising agents used in cooking include baking powder, baking soda, yeast, and eggs.

Activities of Raising Agents

• Baking Powder: This is a mixture of a carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid. When mixed with liquid, a chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles, causing a mixture to expand.
• Baking Soda: Also known as bicarbonate of soda or sodium bicarbonate, when combined with an acid, such as vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk or yogurt, it produces carbon dioxide gas, causing a mixture to rise.
• Yeast: This is a living organism that feeds off sugar in dough and produces carbon dioxide gas and alcohol, making the dough rise and imparting a unique flavour.

Using Raising Agents Effectively

• Balancing Ingredients: Too much of a raising agent can cause your baked goods to rise too quickly and then deflate. Too little, and they will be heavy and dense. Measure ingredients carefully for precise results.
• Compatibility: Not all raising agents are interchangeable. For instance, using baking soda instead of baking powder can result in a soapy taste if there isn’t enough acidic ingredient in the mixture to neutralise the sodium bicarbonate.
• Creaming Method: This is a way of incorporating air into a mixture, often used when making cakes or biscuits. Sugar and fat are ‘creamed’ together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Storing Raising Agents

• Expiry Date: Check the date on your baking powder and baking soda; once opened they lose their effectiveness over time. Fresh yeast also has a short shelf life.
• Storage: Store unopened raising agents in a cool, dry place. Once opened, yeast should be kept in the fridge and baking powder should be kept tightly sealed in a cool, dry place.

Practical Use of Raising Agents

• Experiment: Try the same recipe using different raising agents or different amounts to observe their effects.
• Adapt Recipes: Understand how raising agents work so you can adapt recipes to suit different dietary needs, e.g. using beaten egg whites as a raising agent in a gluten-free cake.
• Tip for Baking Soda: Since it starts reacting immediately upon contact with liquid and acid, aim to get baking soda mixtures into the oven as soon as possible after mixing.