What is yeast
Yeast is called a microbiological perspective, to all the microorganisms that have had a predominance of a unicellular phase in their life cycle (including basidiomycetes). From the point of view of botany, only yeasts are considered ascomycota.The yeasts, in general, live in soils, leaves, fruits and other foods, in the skin of animals, etc. That is, these are microscopic living beings (specifically fungi), imperceptible to the human eye (at least with the naked eye), but who live in our environment and coexist with us usually. In gastronomy, yeasts or ferments are used in The elaboration of many food products that need a fermentation process: some alcoholic beverages (alcoholic or ethyl fermentation), dairy products (lactic fermentation) and bakery products (alcoholic or ethyl fermentation). In each food or drink different species of micrograms are used, so that the wine has its own, yogurt and so on. How does fermentation work in breads and bowls? During fermentation, these unicellular organisms feed on the sugars that provide flour starch, turning them into carbonic gas and ethyl alcohol, which allows the volume of the dough to increase (it gives it structure and all its essential characteristics).
Chemical yeast types or chemical agents
Now that you know what yeast is, you have been able to discover that yeast and chemical led agents are not the same. However, it became a conventionalism to call them like this, so much that despite being different they are named as a yeast (even in the gastronomic larousse). The chemical led agents, also called drivers, are products that are used in liquid masses (cakes, Biscuits, muffins, etc.) and light compact masses (cookies) to give them volume, texture and softness. These products provide air to preparations, but do not ferment as yeast, therefore, they do not provide the same benefits.
Baking powder (Baking Powder)
Most of these chemical lifuding agents, such as royal dust, contain bicarbonate as a chemical driver, which is a base due to their alkaline pH, an acidulant, acidic component or acid salt, and starch, which absorbs moisture within the envelopes or containers containing powders to stop the reaction of acids with bicarbonate. This combination causes a reaction that produces C02 bubbles that are trapped in the egg or flour dough. Consequently, pastry products are achieved with good volume and spongy texture. However, there are baking powder that are identified in the package as double action products, they contain two acidulants instead of one. That is, they act in two batches:- One is responsible for activating bicarbonate as soon as it is mixed with the liquids of the whipped dough.
– The other takes care of the second reaction when entering the oven (it activates heat).
Remember that if you prepare recipes that contain acidic ingredients (such as the Velvet network), do not use baking powder. In fruits and vegetable cakes, with natural juices or with a lot of cocoa, it simply adds a little bicarbonate in the mixture.
Ammonium or Hartshorn carbonate
This driver became very popular in the past, since it was used in many fine masses of cookies and crackers (you can see that they still name it in German and Scandinavian recipes, such as the Danish springerle cookies). Currently, it is still used in pastry due to its particular characteristics. How does this chemical agent act? It is activated with heat and not during contact with the liquids of the mixture. It is curious, the ammonium carbonate is not advised for biscu lighter and crunchy (a little more than what you can achieve with common yeast).
– Because it helps to obtain a certain texture in the dough, it maintains the very complex forms of certain cookies.
– Allow you to let the dough rest, since it is activated with heat during cooking.
If you want to replace ammonium carbonate with baking powder, simply replace it with the same amount.
Sodium bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate is very popular as a replacement for baking powder or the so -called gasifying, being one of the best known types of yeast. In fact, many of these products contain it among their ingredients. This alkaline driver mixed with an acid product produces carbon dioxide (CO2). This element is responsible for extending the gluten and carbohydrates network of the liquid mass (grows and rises) and increases its pH. Thinking about this, surely the following tips will serve you:- As an acid component you can use: citrus fruit juice, butter whey or buttermilk, yogurt, vinegar (preferable apple), among others. Additionally, to ensure that the led dough, you can add a little Cremor Tartar.
– The bicarbonate reacts to contact with the liquid of the dough (plus the acid component), so it does not work for masses that require rest because it deactivates. For this reason, this impeller is added at the end and the preparation is immediately baked, thus its lift action is maximized.
– Although chemical agents do not leave flavor or change the color of the preparation, in the particular case of bicarbonate is something else, since it provides a certain caramel smell and a very appetizing gold color.
– This driver is ideal for cookies (whose masses do not require rest), biscuits, cakes, muffins, panquecas (hotcakes), etc.
– If you want to prepare your own homemade baking powder, mix bicarbonate, cremor tartar and corn starch (if you want to keep it for other occasions).
Gasifier or soda
Gasifier or soda have an alkaline component and another acid, just like baking powder. That is, they are practically the same, but they differ in the presentation: the dust is marketed in a boat because its components already have mixed and the gasifying ones are sold in separate envelopes, one envelope for the alkaline component that is generally bicarbonate and another for Acid, which can be: tartaric acid, malic acid or citric acid. Some characteristics of the gasifiers are the following:- They act just like the sodium bicarbonate, producing the same immediate chemical reaction to contact with the liquid. For this reason, it is added at the end and bakes the mixture is baked.
– This product is perfect for biscuits, cakes, muffins, pancakes, cookies, etc.
It is interesting to mention that neither in the Larousse de Cuisine online nor in the online dictionary of the SAR appears the word gasifying, so it follows that it is a conventionalism that emerged at some point.
