Baking Powder

[94B10]

Hello,
I am making dumplings and the recipe calls for baking powder which I thought I had but it's baking soda. I searched net the net and it says I can use baking soda and cream of tarter, don't have that either. It also said to use soda and vinegar or lemon juice with sweet milk. I am confused. Does any one have a simpler solution.
Thanks

 

[thumpershere2]

1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. saltck. Drop by tsp full into boiling broth or stew. Leave covered. 12 to 15 min.
The dumplings are great but they are not the fluffy kind. I personaly like the heavier dumplings better. You can make them anysize you want.

 

[Andy M.]

The difference is that powder carries its own acid - the cream of tartar. The soda has none. If you were to make the dumplings with buttermilk, you could substitute soda for powder as the buttermilk would provide the acid. Use 1/4 the amount of soda.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Andy M; All I can say is; Yup. You're right as usual.

Actually, I prefer to use double acting baking powder. It has 2 sets of leavening agents, i.e. on that activates upon contact with moisture, and one that requires heat before it will activate. This results in a fluffier end product, and garuntees success, even if your batter sits too long and loses the first leavening action.

Two brands that are double acting are: Clabber Girl, and Calumet. There are probably many others as well.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[BabyG]

cream of tartar? baking soda?

Hello

I'm new to this forum and was just browsing first, but i can't help but reply to this as it's always boggled me.

Firstly what is the difference between baking soda and cream of tartar?
Perhaps it would help if i knew the purpose of either.

I only have baking soda at home for use in baked goods, but i have no idea why i add it. Many recipes i use require both baking soda and cream of tartar but i only add baking soda.. am i majorly missing out?

Someone please clarify this for me!

Thankyou!

Gab

 

[Andy M.]

Baking soda is used in a recipe to make the dough rise. It produces bubbles that inflate a cake or quickbread. Baking soda can only work in the presence of an acidic ingredient. Cream of tartar is that acidic ingredient for recipes that don't include one.

Baking powder is a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar, salt.

 

[BabyG]

Ahh thankyou Andy!

So what if you just used self raising flour? Is that what self raising flour is? flour with baking soda?

 

[Andy M.]

I think it's flour with baking powder.

 

[Constance]

Self-rising flour has baking powder and salt. It's great for making biscuits. Just add the lipid of your choice and milk.

Check out this link for excellent info on baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question57.htm

 

[BabyG]

Great!
thankyou for your answers

I went so long without knowing what the purpose of adding baking powder was!

 

[Aurora]

Baking powder is a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar, salt.

Actually, most baking powers are a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar and corn starch. Double acting baking powder contains another acidic ingredient (calcium or aluminum acid phosphate or citrate) which reacts to heating. The corn starch is a moisture absorber absorbs moisture to retard the chemical reaction of the baking soda and cream of tartar. Technically cream of tartar, calcium and aluminum phosphate and citrate are chemically salts, but there is no table salt (sodium chloride) in baking powder. Table salt would attract moisture and make the powder clumpy and would prematurely start the chemical reaction.

Here is a good site about baking powders:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/BakingPowder.htm