Baking Powder

Name:
Baking Powder
Detailed information:
A synthetic leavening agent widely used in the baking industry. There are several types, all of which are composed of a carbonate, a weak acid or acidic compound, and a filler. A typical composition is sodium bicarbonate, tartaric acid or monobasic calcium phosphate, and cornstarch. Ingredients sometimes used are ammonium carbonate and potassium bitartrate. Upon contact with moisture and heat the active ingredients react to evolve carbon dioxide, which “raises” the dough in the early minutes of heat exposure, thus producing a stable solid foam. Wheat-flour gluten is sufficiently elastic to retain the bubbles of carbon dioxide.