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BAKING POWDER

Baking powder is a dry mixture of bicarbonate of soda, a small amount of starch to keep the other ingredients stable and dry, and one or more acid substances compounded to generate large quantities of carbon dioxide gas to leaven products while baking.  Almost all baking powder today is 'double acting,' meaning one acid reacts at room temperature when liquid is added and the other acid reacts at oven temperatures.

To check if baking powder is till fresh, stir 1/2 teaspoon baking powder into 1/4 cup of hot tap water, If it fizzes it is okay.

In double acting baking powder, carbon dioxide is produced when moisture is added, and again when it is heated.

Using too much baking powder will produce a product with a coarse grain, and broken cell walls in the ‘air’ bubbles, which will cause the product to eventually fall. When you use too little, the product will not rise enough and will be heavy.

Baking powders lose strength over time. They should be kept tightly covered, moisture will cause them to deteriorate faster.

If you increase the eggs in a recipe, decrease the baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon for each extra egg added, and vice versa.