Many housewives very often bake various confectionery and bakery products at home, such as for example cakes, pancakes, pancakes, pies and so on. When baking, everyone encounters soda and a baking powder, which is often called baking powder. The principle of action of these ingredients in general terms is clear to everyone, but let's take a closer look at why they are needed and how to use them correctly. And also talk about how to extinguish soda with vinegar correctly.
What is soda, probably everyone knows. She has a lot of names: sodium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate. But, despite numerous names, the principle of action of soda is unchanged, like its chemical formula - NaHCO3. Soda itself is not able to somehow affect the dough, but when combined with an acidic environment, a chemical reaction occurs during which soda breaks up into several elements. These elements are water, salt and the most important ingredient is carbon dioxide. So, it is due to carbon dioxide that the dough is loosened. Thanks to this reaction, the dough becomes lush and resilient.
Baking powder, or as it is also called, baking powder is a mixture ready to be added to the dough. This mixture consists of acid, soda and filler. The acid in the baking powder is often used citric, and the neutral component acts as a filler - flour, or powdered sugar. If you use a baking powder, as a rule, in addition to it, adding soda or acid to the dough is not required. The ingredients of the baking powder are selected in such a way that the entire reaction passes without residue.
Well, what is a baking powder is understandable to everyone. And everyone knows how to use it, too - it's ready to fall asleep in the dough during its preparation. But with soda, things are somewhat more complicated. Some housewives often wonder how to quench soda with vinegar, and most importantly, why quench soda with vinegar.
Soda must be extinguished, because if this is not done, it will certainly act, but the effect will be completely different. Without acid, soda will also act as a baking powder, but it will begin to decompose only at 60 degrees, that is, already directly in the baking process. The result is not very high-quality baked goods with a characteristic smack of soda. The taste remains, since soda is not able to react completely without acid. In order for all soda to react without residue, you need to know how to quench soda with vinegar correctly.
Many housewives act as follows: they pick up a certain amount of soda in a spoon and pour it with a small amount of vinegar. In this case, a very violent reaction naturally occurs with the active release of carbon dioxide. After waiting a bit, all this seething mixture is kneaded in the dough. And most surprisingly, everyone believes that this is the right way to pay off soda. But this is a very profound error. Such housewives absolutely do not understand why and how to extinguish soda with vinegar. With this method, the reaction that must occur directly in the test takes place in the open air, where, in addition to the beautiful spectacle, it does not bring any more benefit. Part of the soda, of course, acts in the test, since not all of its quantity enters into a reaction with vinegar.
To make full use of the potential of soda, it must be mixed with flour, and acid in the form of kefir or lemon juice should be added directly when mixing the dough. With this method, the effect of soda will be maximum, you will get a magnificent and elastic dough. And the pastries will not have a soda flavor and will also be magnificent.
But, there are recipes in which in addition to the baking powder, you still need to add a small amount of soda. What is it for? This usually happens if acidic products such as kefir or whey are present among the ingredients. In such cases, the acid content in the dough is excessive and in order to neutralize the excess acid and add a little soda along with the baking powder.
Now you all know about soda, baking powder and how to quench soda with vinegar. The knowledge gained will certainly make your pastries even more magnificent and tastier.