|
|
| ROLE
OF SUGAR IN COOKING
|
|
|
Role
of Sugar in Bakery Items
|
|
-continued-
|
Heat
of baking causes gelatinization, a process
whereby starch in flour absorbs liquid and
swells. Sugar tenderizes the batter by absorbing
liquid and delaying gelatinization. Thus,
viscosity of the batter is maintained with help
of sugar. This leads to more fluid dough,
allowing the cookies to spread during
baking.
As an outcome, the temperature at which cake
sets is delayed till the leavening agents
produce the optimal sum of gases. This finally
results in fine, consistently grained cake/
bread with a soft, smooth crumb texture. |
|
|
|
Sugar
caramelizes if heated at temperatures more than
its melting point, imparting flavor &
surface browning to the bakery item. This not
only enhances their organoleptic value but also
improves moisture retention
characteristics. |
|
|
|
Not
only this, sugar
chemically reacts with amino acids, peptides
& proteins during baking, contributing to
the food's browned surface- enroute a process
called as ‘Maillard Reaction’. More the
sugar content of the baked item, more golden
brown the surface appears. |
|
|
Sugar accounts for the cracked surface texture of
cookies. On account of a relatively high
concentration of sugar and low moisture content
in cookies, sugar tends to crystallize on cookie
surface. As it crystallizes, it expels heat that
further dries up the water wrapped up during
baking or mixing.
Simultaneously, leavening gases expand and cause
cracking of the dry surface.
|
|
|
|
Specialty sugars recommended for baking- |
|
4 |
Baker’s
Special Sugar |
|
4 |
Castor
Sugar |
|
4 |
Brown
Sugar |
|
4 |
Icing
Sugar |
|
4 |
Demerara
Sugar |
|
|
|
To understand the
role of sugar in detail in individual cooking
& processing methods, select the following
options- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
