Chapter Four: Quick Breads, Muffins, and Scones

Simple Ingredients and Preparation Make Quick Breads a welcoming first step into the world of baking. They are the perfect vehicle for introducing novice bakers to the methods of rubbing and blending, which can be done by hand, and creaming, an easy procedure for the mixer. The term quick bread refers to any baked product that uses chemical leaveners as its leavening agent. Remember that in baking a chemical leavener refers to baking powder and baking soda, not some dangerous concoction of laboratory chemicals. Not only do products like banana bread and zucchini bread fall into this category, but muffins, scones, and biscuits do as well (even cookies and cakes are technically part of this group).