Baking Ingredients

A guide of main ingredients used in baking.

FLOUR

Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, beans, or other seeds or roots. It provides the structure to the baked good. The gluten, or protein in floor forms a structure that traps air bubbles. 

The common flour varieties are

• Refined wheat flour( Maida ) - Mostly used for baking cakes, cookies, biscuits and tarts. 
• Whole wheat flour - Used for baking breads as it gives a coarse texture and nutty flavour. 
• Self rising flour - It is comprised of all-purpose flour, salt and a chemical leavening agent such as baking powder. It is easy for baking but doesn't yield good results. 

FAT

Fat coats the protein molecules giving a soft and fluffy baked product. When sugar is creamed with fat, small pockets of air is formed, which produced a finer grain in the baked product. 

• Butter - It contains 80% fat. Unsalted /salted may be used based on the recipe. If using salted butter, don't add salt in the recipe. 
• Oil - Recipes which call for oil, use vegetable oil. Dont replace with melted butter or any other oil. 
• Ghee - It is hydrogenated vegetable fat which is used in combination with butter.