π¨βπ³ Learn from Le Cordon Bleu and save 25% on Premium Membership π©βπ³
By Eleanor Ford
Published 2024
Anything fluffy, from cake to mousse, needs a raising agent. This might be chemical, e.g. bicarbonate of soda, or purely air whipped into eggs. Bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda) works by reacting with acid to create carbon dioxide, causing existing air bubbles to expand and your bake to rise. It needs an acid in the mix such as buttermilk, yoghurt or cocoa to help it work and neutralise its soapy taste. Baking powder is bicarb with an acid already mixed in - cream of tartar. I like to use baking powder rather than self-raising flour so I can control the amounts (add 1 teaspoon baking powder to 100g/β cup plain flour to make it self-raising). The key is to ensure it is fresh. If you have a tough bake, the most likely reasons are overmixing or out-of-date baking powder that has lost its oomph.
Unlimited, ad-free access to hundreds of the worldβs best cookbooks
Over 160,000 recipes with thousands more added every month
Recommended by leading chefs and food writers
Powerful search filters to match your tastes
Create collections and add reviews or private notes to any recipe
Swipe to browse each cookbook from cover-to-cover
Manage your subscription via the My Membership page
Advertisement
Advertisement