In the food industry, the use of flavourings in various formulations is quite common. In this entry, we will analyse the use of these products in the production of baked goods and some aspects to consider when choosing them. First of all, it should be noted that although we usually refer to them as aromas, some of them are also complemented by substances that can affect the taste of the products, either by adding a touch of acidity, sweetness, bitterness,…
We have already discussed the importance of gluten in baking and the need to use stronger flours (with more and better quality gluten) in some instances. In addition to the gluten present in the flour, you can buy and add gluten separately. This dry, powdered gluten is commonly called vital gluten, which we will discuss in this entry. Vital Gluten From wheat flours, using a process known as wet milling, starch and gluten can be separated, and after drying and…
The particle size of flours depends on the hardness of the grain and the milling system. Generally, softer grains tend to produce finer flours, while harder grains result in coarser flours. However, the milling system can be designed to further reduce particle size. For harder grains, this translates into greater heating of the samples and a higher percentage of damaged starch, especially if the milling system is not well designed. Soft cereals, such as wheat and rye, typically produce white…
These flours have the advantage of altering their functionality or enhancing certain characteristics without the need for declaration on the labelling, as they are produced through physical modifications. Thus, they do not provide competitors with clues to copy or imitate the products in which they are incorporated. Grains can undergo thermal treatment before milling to modify the properties of the flours. Similarly, the flours themselves can also be thermally treated. The properties of the resulting flours depend on the intensity…
The main purpose of this entry is to discuss sourdough and the interest in using it in breadmaking. What is a sourdough? Essentially, a sourdough is a wild culture of microorganisms, more or less cared for and maintained over time. Sourdough begins with a mixture of flour and water, incorporating microorganisms from the water, flour, environment, and surfaces where they are prepared. These sourdoughs may include some salt, and the flours may vary in extraction level or include other grains…
Psyllium is a natural food ingredient with interesting nutritional and functional properties, and one of the most commonly used gluten substitutes in gluten-free bread production. In this entry, we will clarify what it is, its nutritional advantages, its functional properties, and the products in which we can use it. Generally, when we talk about psyllium, we are referring to the husk of the seeds of plants of the genus ovata (typically Plantago ovata). The largest producer of this plant is…
In the blog, we’ve already published a more general entry dedicated to fibres. As you may remember, we discussed aspects such as nutritional advantages, legislative issues, and their influence on the final product. However, we also mentioned that this influence greatly depends on the type of fibre and promised that there would be specific entries about some of these fibres. So, in this entry, we’re going to talk about soluble fibres that have little capacity for water absorption, and therefore…
Today we have a shorter entry, but you can expand your knowledge with the article we propose at the end, which is open access and free. Although all cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes that can be milled to obtain flour are seeds, in this section, we will discuss seeds that are usually incorporated whole into bread and baked products. These seeds have in common a high fat content. For this reason, it is difficult to obtain fine flours, although they can…
Cocoa is obtained from the fruits of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao). This tree is native to Central and South America but is now cultivated in Africa and parts of South Asia. In fact, Africa is the world’s leading cocoa producer. The final characteristics of cocoa-derived products depend on the variety used and its origin. Although more aromatic varieties exist, the majority of the world’s cocoa comes from the Forastero variety. However, edaphoclimatic conditions also significantly influence cocoa, leading to…
After a first entry where we discussed the possibility of incorporating some types of milk or their components into baked goods, now we will talk about other dairy products. Cream and Butter Dairy fats often carry a negative nutritional image due to high levels of saturated fatty acids and the presence of cholesterol, in addition to being excluded from vegan diets. Therefore, they are increasingly replaced by vegetable fats or oils. Another reason for their substitution is their higher cost…