Quick Bread Basics

Learning Target/Performance Target

LT - Quick breads are quick to make due to leavener used (baking powder/baking soda)

PT - Demonstrate understanding of correct ingredients used in baking, as well as measurement, mixing, shaping and baking techniques for different types of quick breads

Essential Questions

What makes quick breads “quick?”How do quick breads differ from yeast

breads?What are examples of quick breads?

Standards

PLC 5.0 – Integrate food safety and sanitation practices to prevent illness and contamination in a culinary setting.

PLC 6.0 – Integrate kitchen safety practices that ensure a safe working environment.

What is a “quick” bread?

Bread made using chemical leavener - baking soda or baking powder.

Batter can be baked immediately, do not have to wait for fermentation (therefore “quick”)

Usually baked in loaf pans, individual tinsExamples include: biscuits, scones, soda

bread, muffins

Quick Bread Ingredients

Typical ingredients include:

Flour - structureEggs – volume,

structure, leaveningFat – keep product

moist and tender, aids in creaming

Sugar – flavor/colorSalt – strengthens

gluten, adds flavor

Quick Bread Ingredients

Leavening agents – allow QB to rise

Liquid – typically milk, adds moisture

Quick Breads - Mixing

Produced using one of three methods:1.Biscuit

Requires cutting fat into dry ingredients, until fat/dry ingredients = coarse crumbs

Add liquid ingredients Results in FLAKY products

2.Blending Combines liquid, sugar, liquid fat and eggs at same

time Add dry ingredients

Quick Breads - Mixing

3. Creaming Solid shortening and sugar are creamed (vigorously

combining fat and sugar to add air) until light and fluffy

Liquid ingredients added Dry ingredients added

Biscuits, Scones and Soda Bread

BISCUITS Small quick breads with

little or no sugar 3 main types

Rolled and cut – dough is patted out by hand or rolled, then cut into circular shapes

Drop – dough has more liquid and can be “dropped” from a spoon onto the baking sheets

Beaten – Southern tradition dating back to 1800s, dough beaten for long periods, resulting dough is hard and stiff.

Biscuits, Scones and Soda Bread

Scones – sweet, biscuit-like individual quick breads

Can have fruit or nuts added to dough

Scone dough is folded into a disk and cut into wedges, diamonds, squares or rounds

Scottish tradision - originally made w/ oatmeal, cooked on a griddle similar to pancakes, named after “Stone of Destiny” AKA “Scone”

Biscuits, Scones and Soda Bread

Soda bread – named for baking soda that is used to leaven it

Needs acid ingredient such as buttermilk to activate the baking soda

Dough is similar to biscuits and scones and shaped into a round loaf

Key Points - Temperature

Keep butter or fat CHILLED to keep it from blending too much with flour

Chilled fat contributes to flakiness of product because is serves as a temporary barrier between the flour and liquid in the dough, allowing more space for the leavening gasses to expand

Eventually chilled fat melts during baking creating spaces for gas bubbles to form and allow a light, flaky structure

Key Points - Temperature

Additional coldness can be achieved by placing B and S in freezer for ½ an hour or more prior to shaping

High temp in oven is important – helps to trap steam in dough layers, giving additional rise and flakiness to B and S

Key Points – Basic Shaping

Softness of biscuit dough requires that the work surface, dough and cutter are floured generously BE CAREFUL NOT TO

ADD TOO MUCH FLOUR OR OVERWORK DOUGH. B = heavy and thick

Roll dough evenly - use long, smooth movements when rolling dough, lifting the rolling pin before reaching the edges so the dough doesn’t get too thin Greater yield if edges are

rolled out straight

Key Points - Shaping

Dough must be cut with a sharp tool. Using dull cutting tool squeezes the outside of the dough together, interfering with ability to rise properly

Conserve dough – avoid waste when cutting dough Re-rolling dough

contributes to tough product

Key Points – Basic Shaping

After shaped dough can be brushed with egg wash – to add gloss and color for a more appealing look

Service

Biscuits are usually served warm w/a meal

Scones served throughout the day w/ coffee and tea

S popular for breakfast and afternoon tea, served w/ butter, jam or think cream

B are foundation of a dessert called shortcake Uncooked fruit and some

of its juice are spooned between a split B and crowned w/ a mound of whipped cream – see picture on page 587 of text

Quality Biscuits

Appearance – Products should all be the same size, flat tops, straight sides

Color – golden brown crust, creamy/flaky crumb

Texture – light, tender and flakyFlavor – pleasing, delicate flavor

Summary

Write 3-5 sentences summarizing today’s notes about quick breads.