Baking Powder and Baking Soda

[sattie]

What purpose do these ingredients serve and why would you use one or the other or both? Just a question I have that Alton has not dispelled for me yet... or I missed the episode!!!

 

[Aurora]

Baking Soda vs Baking Powder

It's explained here:

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm

 

[sattie]

Thank You

Very nice, that explains it very clearly.

 

[Gretchen]

Use what is called for in your recipe--and why wouldn't you. They are both leavening agents that cause "things" to rise, but in different ways and with different ingredients.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Both are leavening agents - and which one you use depends on the acidity of the contents in the recipe. They do the same thing as yeast (produces carbon-dioxide - CO2 - bubbles) but much quicker .... which is why they are used in "quick breads" and cookies, etc., that don't need long proofing periods.​

The 25-cent answer ... baking soda reacts immediately with the acids in the recips (like buttermilk or molasses) and baking powder is a mixture of baking soda plus acidic salts that will create CO2 bubbles when they become wet and are heated.​

The Cook's Thesaurus website has a good explanation on leavening agents you might like to check out for a more indepth explanation.

EDIT NOTE: I spent too long typing ... I like the site Aurora gave ... better explanation than what I found.​

 

[sattie]

Use what is called for in your recipe--and why wouldn't you. They are both leavening agents that cause "things" to rise, but in different ways and with different ingredients.

I was trying to understand better the difference between the two or why you would use both. I love learning and I find there are so many basic things I don't know!!!

Both are leavening agents - and which one you use depends on the acidity of the contents in the recipe. They do the same thing as yeast (produces carbon-dioxide - CO2 - bubbles) but much quicker .... which is why they are used in "quick breads" and cookies, etc., that don't need long proofing periods.​

The 25-cent answer ... baking soda reacts immediately with the acids in the recips (like buttermilk or molasses) and baking powder is a mixture of baking soda plus acidic salts that will create CO2 bubbles when they become wet and are heated.​

The Cook's Thesaurus website has a good explanation on leavening agents you might like to check out for a more indepth explanation.​

Appreciate the additional info... I feel kinda stupid now that I could have just googled some of this and found out for myself... a double for me!!!

 

[Michael in FtW]

... I feel kinda stupid now that I could have just googled some of this and found out for myself... a double for me!!!

Around here, Sattie - the only dumb question is the one not asked! Never feel bad for asking for help!

Sometimes you can Google and get an answer on the first try - sometimes you can spend an hour trying to find the right way to ask the question to find the answer you are looking for.