Quick breads

Prepared without yeast but with some type of leavening agent, relatively small amounts of fat, and little or no sugar, quick breads require special care to provide the desired tender crumb. Because of the lack of sugar, the overdevelopment of gluten is a continual risk. Consequently, the flour and liquid have to be combined gently, often stirred by hand just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. With muffins, a common quick bread, overmixing will produce large air tunnels and tough cell walls, resulting in a coarse, uneven grain and chewy texture in the baked product. When a larger amount of sugar is used, this is no longer an issue.